A recent study has concluded that certain personality traits might be connected to cognitive decline and dementia later on in life.
The study was conducted with a group of almost 2,000 people that volunteered. A self-directed personality trait questionnaire was administered at the beginning of the study. As these individuals aged, their medical records and other files were checked and compared. What the research team found was that some self-identified personality traits were more likely to be connected to cognitive decline later on in life.
These traits included those that exhibited neuroticism seemed to be more likely to develop cognitive issues as they aged. For the purpose of this study, neuroticism was described as being less emotionally stable, or more likely to show signs of depression, anxiety, and self-doubt. Those that scored higher in this category were 12 percent more likely to develop dementia later on.
People that described themselves as orderly and disciplined were much less likely to develop dementia as they aged. Additionally, they found that people who described themselves as conscientious were less likely to develop dementia, too. There was no correlation found within those that were extraverted, although extraverted individuals did seem to avoid cognitive decline if they displayed some of the traits described above.
The team of researchers published their findings in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Although personality traits did appear to have a noticeable correlation to cognitive decline, the authors of this study did point out that there doesn’t seem to be any sort of correlation to overall length of life.
For many, there is no cure for cognitive decline. For example, Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, has no cure and is degenerative. The person who has it will ultimately pass away because of this disease. But even though there is no cure, there are still things that can be done to enhance the quality of life that someone with this disease is facing. Much of the time, these measures are far more effective when they are begun early on. That’s why studies like the one mentioned above are so important. Even though they don’t provide a cure, they provide doctors with a sort of early warning system so that those who are suffering from cognitive decline can live a higher quality of life than they would have otherwise.
Although you might not be able to help your older loved one find a cure for their cognitive decline, you certainly can help them take steps to live a healthier, safer life while they continue to go about their daily lives. A strong care team can often make all of the difference. Having medical and care professionals working closely by your side that are familiar with dementia and how to best help those suffering from it can make it an easier process for the whole family.
That’s one of the reasons why we do what we do here at Paradise In-Home Care. Everyone deserves high quality care. Give us a call today to learn more about how we might be able to help your family, too.
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