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. 2020 Dec;14(6):2122-2131.
doi: 10.1007/s11682-019-00163-y.

Association between personality and tau-PET binding in cognitively normal older adults

Stephanie A Schultz  1   2 , Brian A Gordon  2   3   4 , Shruti Mishra  2   5 , Yi Su  2   6 , John C Morris  3   7 , Beau M Ances  3   7 , Janet M Duchek  3   4 , David A Balota  3   4 , Tammie L S Benzinger  8   9   10
Affiliations

Association between personality and tau-PET binding in cognitively normal older adults

Stephanie A Schultz et al. Brain Imaging Behav. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Personality traits such as Neuroticism and Conscientiousness are associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) pathophysiology in cognitively normal (CN) and impaired individuals, and may represent potential risk or resilience factors, respectively. This study examined the cross-sectional relationship between personality traits and regional tau deposition using positron emission tomography (PET) in cognitively normal older adults. A cohort of CN (Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0, n = 128) older adults completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory to assess traits of Neuroticism, Extroversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness and underwent tau-PET and β-amyloid (Aβ)-PET imaging. We utilized linear regression models, adjusting for age, sex, geriatric depression score, and Aβ to evaluate the association between each of the personality traits and regional tau-PET accumulation. Elevated Neuroticism scores were associated with higher tau-PET accumulation in the amygdala (p = .002), entorhinal cortex (p = .012), and inferior temporal cortex (p = .016), as well as with a composite tau-PET measure (p = .002). In contrast, Extroversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness were not associated with tau deposition in any of these regions (p's > 0.160). Our results indicate that increased Neuroticism is associated with higher tau pathophysiology in regions known to be vulnerable to AD pathophysiology in CN participants. High Neuroticism scores may therefore serve as a potential risk factor for tau accumulation. Alternatively, personality can change with the onset of AD, thus increased tau levels may affect Neuroticism scores. While future longitudinal studies are needed to determine directionality, our findings suggest early associations between Neuroticism and tau accumulation in CN adults.

Keywords: Alzheimer disease; Neurodegeneration; Neuroticism; Personality; Tau.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest:

John C. Morris, Tammie L.S. Benzinger, and Brian A. Gordon report participation in clinical trials sponsored by Eli Lilly, Roche, and Biogen. Avid Radiopharmaceuticals (a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly provided doses of 18F-florbetapir, partial funding for 18F-florbetapir scanning, precursor for 18F-flortaucipir and technology transfer for manufacturing of 18F-flortaucipir). None of the authors, nor their family members, own stock or have equity interest (outside of mutual funds or other externally directed accounts) in any pharmaceutical or biotechnology company.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Regions of interest
Selected regions of interest included in the composite tau-PET measure (a), and Aβ-PET measure (b).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Association between Neuroticism and regional tau-PET
Covariate-adjusted residuals from linear regression models examining the relationship between Neuroticism and tau-PET SUVR in the composite (a), amygdala (b), inferior temporal cortex (c), entorhinal cortex (d), and lateral occipital cortex (e). PET= Positron emission tomography; SUVR= Standardized uptake value ratio.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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