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. 2023 Oct;81(10):868-875.
doi: 10.1055/s-0043-1775884. Epub 2023 Oct 29.

Openness and age influence cognitive progression: a longitudinal study

Silvia Stahl Merlin  1 , Sonia Maria Dozzi Brucki  1
Affiliations

Openness and age influence cognitive progression: a longitudinal study

Silvia Stahl Merlin et al. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2023 Oct.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Background: Some psychological and personality characteristics of individuals seem to determine behavioral patterns that are associated with better health throughout life and, consequently, prevent the progression of early cognitive changes to dementia.

Objective: To identify which individuals have modified cognitive ratings after 24 months of follow-up and correlating with personality traits.

Methods: One hundred and two volunteers were evaluated clinically and for personality characteristics and neuropsychological testing. Of these, 25 subjects were classified as cognitively normal (CN), 25 as subjective cognitive decline (SCD), 28 as nonamnestic mild cognitive impairment (naMCI), and 24 as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (amMCI) at baseline. Follow-up occurred over 2 years from the initial assessment, and the cognitive categories of the participants were re-analyzed every 6 months to observe differences in their classification.

Results: Out of the 102 subjects, 65 remained at follow-up. The sample followed-up longitudinally was composed predominantly of women (65%), white (74%), with a mean age of 78 (±7.5) years old and 12 (±4.8) years of schooling. Throughout the process, 23% of CN, 15% of SDC, and 27% of naMCI individuals worsened cognitively. Amnestic with mild cognitive impairment volunteers remained stable or improved. Individuals with older age show more significant cognitive deterioration, and those with very low or high rates of the openness personality trait are associated with cognitive decline utilizing the Fisher exact test, probably because the open extremes influence choices, stress management, and behavioral maintenance.

Conclusion: The factors most associated with cognitive change in this group of older adults were age and the intensity of the openness aspects of personality.

Antecedentes: Algumas características psicológicas e de personalidade determinam padrões comportamentais que se associam a uma melhor saúde ao longo da vida e, consequentemente, impedem a progressão de alterações cognitivas para demência.

Objetivo: Identificar quais indivíduos modificaram cognitivamente após 24 meses de acompanhamento e correlacionar com traços de personalidade. MéTODOS: 102 voluntários foram avaliados clinicamente por características de personalidade e testes neuropsicológicos. Destes, 25 indivíduos foram classificados como cognitivamente normais (CN), 25 como com declínio cognitivo subjetivo (DCS), 28 com comprometimento cognitivo leve não amnéstico (CCLNa) e 24 com comprometimento cognitivo leve amnéstico (CCLAm) no início do estudo. O acompanhamento ocorreu ao longo de 2 anos a partir da avaliação inicial, e as categorias cognitivas dos participantes foram reanalisadas a cada 6 meses para observar diferenças em sua classificação.

Resultados: Dos 102 indivíduos, 65 permaneceram em acompanhamento. A amostra acompanhada longitudinalmente foi composta predominantemente por mulheres (65%), brancas (74%), com média de idade de 78 (±7,5) anos e 12 (±4,8) anos de escolaridade. Ao longo do processo, 23% dos indivíduos CN, 15% dos DCS e 27% dos indivíduos CCLNa pioraram cognitivamente. Os voluntários CCLAm permaneceram estáveis ou melhoraram. Indivíduos com idade mais avançada apresentam deterioração cognitiva mais significativa, e aqueles com taxas muito baixas ou altas do traço de personalidade abertura estão associados ao declínio cognitivo utilizando o teste exato de Fisher. Provavelmente, a característica abertura influencia as escolhas, o gerenciamento do estresse e a manutenção do comportamento. CONCLUSãO: Os fatores mais associados à alteração cognitiva neste grupo de idosos foram a idade e a intensidade dos aspectos abertura da personalidade.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the study population. Abbreviations: amMCI, amnestic mild cognitive impairment; CN, cognitively normal; HAD, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Screening Questionnaire; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination; naMCI, non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment; NEO-FFI-R, Personality Inventory NEO-Revised; PFAQ, Pfeffer Functional Activities; SCD, subjective cognitive decline.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Demonstration of heterogeneity of the cognitive trajectories of elderly individuals followed-up for 24 months.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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