Mapping the link between personality and cognitive decline

Summary: A new study has identified three psychological profiles that influence brain health, cognitive decline and dementia risk in aging adults. Profiles with high protective traits, such as determination and openness, show better cognition and brain integrity, while those with low protective traits or high negative traits face accelerated brain atrophy and mental health problems.

Researchers emphasize comprehensive psychological assessments to tailor interventions, such as therapies that enhance life purpose or reduce symptoms of distress. These findings pave the way for personalized strategies to prevent cognitive decline and support brain health in adulthood and aging.

Key facts:

• Psychological profiles: Three profiles, defined by protective and risk traits, influence brain health, cognition and dementia risk.
• Protective factors: Traits such as purpose in life and open-mindedness are linked to better mental and cognitive health across all age groups.
• Area of ​​intervention: Therapies targeting distress or improving life purpose could slow cognitive decline in at-risk profiles.

Source: University of Barcelona

An international study published in the journal Natural mental health identified three psychological profiles associated with different patterns of cognitive and brain decline during aging.

The study, which analyzed more than 1,000 middle-aged and older adults, shows that the specific psychological characteristics of each profile can influence the risk of developing dementia, as well as aspects such as the speed of brain decline and the quality of sleep.

These results open new perspectives for the design of more personalized prevention strategies.

According to the research team, the results highlight “the need for comprehensive psychological assessments of patients to identify different psychological profiles and thus enable the implementation of more specific and personalized behavior change strategies.”

The study is led by David Bartrés-Faz, researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Institute of Neurosciences (UBneuro) at the University of Barcelona.

He is also a member of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) and principal investigator of the Guttmann Barcelona Brain Health Initiative (BBHI), which aims to find and understand how to maintain brain health.

Risk and protective factors for cognitive decline

Recent studies have identified psychological characteristics that may be associated with increased risk or protection against cognitive decline, neurodegeneration, and clinical dementia.

For example, having repetitive negative thoughts, a tendency to feel distress and perceived stress are associated with more risk, while having a purpose in life or introspection would be protective factors against such a decline.

In this study, conducted using data from more than 1,000 volunteers from the BBHI and the International Medit-Ageing Study, the research team examined whether these factors – protective factors and risk factors – combine to form similar psychological profiles in two independent cohorts of middle-aged adults. and older adults without cognitive impairment.

Bartrés-Faz points out that “so far, psychological risk and protective factors have been examined almost exclusively independently: this approach is limited, because psychological characteristics do not exist in isolation.”

The team then analyzed how membership in each of these profiles is linked to indicators of mental health, cognition, lifestyle and brain integrity – measured by cortical thickness – as well as to the evolution cognitive and brain atrophy over time.

“The goal was to elucidate how various combinations of psychological characteristics are linked to mental, cognitive and brain health,” notes the UB and Gutmann Institute researcher.

Implications for mental and cognitive health

The results show that having a “well-balanced” psychological profile, with moderately high protective factors and moderately low risk factors, is associated with better cognitive and mental health in all indicators measured.

“These associations were observed across all age groups studied, reinforcing the relevance of considering the balance of a wide range of psychological aspects as determinants of mental, cognitive and brain health in adulthood and at an advanced age,” Bartrés-Faz explains.

On the other hand, a psychological profile with low levels of protective characteristics – such as a sense of purpose, extroversion or openness to new experiences – was associated with poorer cognition (especially among older adults), more pronounced brain atrophy (already observable in middle-aged people). -older adults) and less adherence to healthy lifestyles.

Finally, the third profile identified, characterized by high levels of negative or risky psychological traits, such as a high propensity for distress and negative thoughts, “may increase the risk of cognitive disorders and dementia through a psycho-affective pathway, including the expression of cognitive impairment and dementia.” symptoms such as depression, anxiety, cognitive disorders, loneliness and sleep disorders,” explains the researcher.

Future prevention interventions

Once validated in larger sample studies, these findings could have important implications for the development of future preventive interventions designed to modify psychological factors and lifestyles.

“For example, people with traits consistent with the psychological profile and low levels of protective factors may benefit more from psychological therapies that include identification or re-identification of valued behaviors and life goals, such as therapy of acceptance and commitment”, Bartrés-Faz remarks.

However, “people who meet the criteria for the third identified profile may have a better response to therapies aimed at reducing distress-related symptoms, which have also recently been shown to have a potential benefit,” says the researcher.

The expert underlines the importance of carrying out “comprehensive psychological assessments, including the analysis of risk and protective factors, in order to more precisely assess the risk profile of each person”.

About this research news on personality and cognitive decline

Author: Rosa Martinez
Source: University of Barcelona
Contact: Rosa Martínez – University of Barcelona
Picture: Image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original research: Free access.
“Psychological profiles associated with mental, cognitive, and brain health in middle-aged and older adults” by David Bartrés-Faz et al. Natural mental health

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Abstract

Psychological profiles associated with mental, cognitive, and brain health in middle-aged and older adults

Psychological characteristics are associated with different dementia risks and protective factors.

To determine whether these characteristics cluster into psychological profiles and whether these profiles are differentially linked to aging health, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of two independent middle-aged individuals (51.4 ± 7.0 years (mean ± range -kind) ; N= 750) and older adult (71.1 ± 5.9 years; N= 282) cohorts, supplemented by longitudinal analyzes in the first.

Using a person-centered approach, three profiles emerged in both cohorts: those with low protective characteristics (profile 1), high-risk characteristics (profile 2), and well-balanced characteristics (profile 3).

Profile 1 showed the worst objective cognition in old age and middle age (at follow-up), as well as the most rapid cortical thinning. Profile 2 had the worst mental health symptoms and the lowest sleep quality in both older and middle-aged people.

We identified divergent profile-dependent patterns of associations that may suggest two distinct pathways for mental, cognitive, and brain health, highlighting the need for comprehensive psychological assessments in dementia prevention research to identify clusters for more personalized behavior change strategies.