Personality Traits that Can Affect Alzheimer's Disease

Memories reside in the deepest part of the human brain. But, what will happen if all of these memories suddenly disappear?

Alzheimer’s disease has long been a frightening disease for people who are getting older. It affects the mind and the memory of the individuals who are diagnosed with the illness. Alzheimer’s is a common form of dementia that typically affects the older generation, and this condition makes the person forget his or her intellectual and social skills.

Science has identified that the primary reason why a person has Alzheimer’s is due to the death of cells in the brain. However, a recent study has shown that certain personality traits might also lead to Alzheimer’s. Personality defines a person, yet these personalities also define if a person is prone to the disease.

Pessimistic mind leads to negative aura

Negative thoughts attract negative energy. When one often thinks negatively, this affects the performance of the person towards a certain task. As a matter of fact, a negative mind can lead to mental stress. To have a pessimistic mind affects the amygdala, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for storing memories.

A group of researchers has found that frowning increases the risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s. Researchers of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging conducted a series of tests to identify how a negative mind contributes to dementia and Alzheimer’s. With these cognitive tests, researchers concluded that a negative demeanor causes mental deterioration and Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, an optimistic mind leads to a sound mental state.

Neuroticism and Negativity

Anxiety and stress play a big role in developing a sound mind. When things go out of control, the person tends to overreact and get anxious. Neuroticism is a certain condition that leads to these negative emotions. Between the sexes, women are prone to neuroticism than men. An international research conducted by the University of Glasgow states that neuroticism also links to mental illness.

Another study led by the neuropsychiatric unit in Sweden also states that people with neuroticism have higher risks of Alzheimer’s disease. They conducted a series of personality and brain tests for 800 women. At the end of the tests, they concluded that women who worry a lot have an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's.

Emotionally-stressed

People are emotional beings. They tend to overreact to things around them, either positively or negatively. If dealt with negative emotions, the level of stress hormones increases and can lead to emotional and mental stress. When stress invades the brain, the beta-amyloid cannot function well and will result in memory loss. When this happen, the mind loses its ability to balance the emotional and mental state of the person.

A related study shows that stress is a serious factor that leads to Alzheimer’s disease. It triggers dementia due to its negative effect on the mental state of the person. In the said study, 72% of patients with Alzheimer’s were reported to experience deep grief before they were diagnosed. This can cause the cortisol level to get out of control, making the immune system to weaken against inflammation. Emotional stress can be a silent killer.