Alzheimer’s is one of the most terrible diseases that a person can suffer from, as little by little the “self” becomes blurred, until it is lost in the darkness of the mind. Unfortunately, it is the most common cause of dementia.
Currently, 44 million people in the world suffer from Alzheimer’s, and experts predict that this problem will become the most important disease of the 21st century, since by 2050 it will affect 135 million people, some of whom could be ourselves.
Given these figures, it is not surprising that this disease is being investigated from all possible perspectives, including the psychological one. In fact, researchers from the University of Gothenburg have discovered that there is a personality trait that is closely linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s.
Neuroticism, a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s
The study in question followed 800 women over 38 years, analyzing their personality traits and assessing their risk of developing dementia. Neuroscientists found that neuroticism was one of the main predictors of Alzheimer’s.
Neuroticism is a personality trait that includes marked mood swings as well as a constant state of worry and anxiety. In general, people who have neurotic traits tend to have a greater tendency towards anxiety, depression, jealousy and envy.
The participants also underwent memory tests, as this is one of the main symptoms of dementia, as well as a test to assess their stress level. The results indicated that the higher they scored on the neuroticism tests, the higher their stress levels and the greater their chances of developing Alzheimer’s.
Of the women in the study, 25% of those who scored very high on the neuroticism scale developed Alzheimer’s. In comparison, only 13% of those who scored low on neuroticism developed the disease.
Can neuroticism really cause Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s, like the vast majority of diseases, especially those of a psychiatric and neurological nature, depends on numerous factors. However, psychological aspects, especially those that influence our lifestyle, are another variable to consider in this complex equation.
People with neurotic traits have a tendency to:
- Experiencing more negative emotions
- Feeling anxious and irritable
- Experience more emotional instability
- Feeling moody, sad or depressed
- They get stressed or angry easily
- They have difficulty assertively managing stress
- Present a chronic concern about multiple things
- They make a storm in a teacup
- Present difficulties in controlling impulses and emotions
- Interpret neutral situations as threatening
- Lack of resilience or difficulty recovering after adversity
These characteristics of neuroticism lead a person into a vicious cycle. If someone is more likely to perceive situations as threatening or challenging and is more sensitive to stress, they will experience more intense and frequent negative emotions, which will not exactly help them cope with these situations. As a result, they will have more difficulty coping with everyday stressors and will be more vulnerable to mental health disorders.
In fact, previous studies have shown that the brains of people with a high level of neuroticism show activity patterns indicative of chronic stress and difficulty regulating emotions. For example, they tend to have a more reactive amygdala, a region of the brain involved in processing emotions such as fear and anger. They also have less connectivity between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as decision-making and impulse control. These people also tend to have a reduced volume of gray matter and a smaller total brain volume.
These structural and functional changes in the brain, combined with a state of chronic stress, which has been linked to harmful inflammatory processes, could, in fact, increase the risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s, especially when other factors come together.
The good news is that neuroticism is not a lifelong sentence. Learning emotional management techniques can help us relieve stress and reduce worries to find the balance our brain needs to function more healthily.
References:
Yu, Q. et. Al. (2024) Behavioral adjustment moderates the effect of neuroticism on brain volume relative to intracranial volume. Journal of Personality ; 92(4): 948-956.
Ueda, I. et. Al. (2018) Brain structural connectivity and neuroticism in healthy adults. SciRep 8:16491.
Johansson, L. et. Al. (2014)Midlife personality and risk of Alzheimer disease and distress: a 38-year follow-up. Neurology ; 83(17): 1538-1544.
