Personality and Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease in Swedish Older Adults

I have no neuroticism and lots of conscientiousness.

 Personality and Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration and
Alzheimer’s Disease in Swedish Older Adults

Jonas Molinder

J Molinder1 , D Vetrano 2,3 , H Zetterberg1,4,5 , K Blennow 1,4 , M Waern 1,6 ,

L Johansson 1 , H Falk Erhag 1 , R Sigström 1,7 , I Skoog1,7

1 Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy at University

of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

2 Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University,

Stockholm, Sweden

3 Stockholm Gerontology, Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden

4 Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital,

Gothenburg, Sweden

5 Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London, London, UK

6 Psychosis Department, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västr,

Gothenburg, Sweden

7 Department of Cognition, and Old Age Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University,

Gothenburg, Sweden

Contact: jonas.molinder@gu.se

Background: 

Personality is associated with dementia risk.

Neuroticism and conscientiousness may be involved in resistance

and resilience to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology (ADP). These

traits have also been associated with unspecific biomarkers of neuro-

degeneration; glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neurofila-

ment light (NfL). This study explores the role of personality in

cognitive ageing.

Methods: 

We used data from the Swedish population-based studies

H70 (individuals age 70 years only), and SNAC-K (individuals ages

60-104). Personality was assessed with the NEO-five-factor inven-

tory. In H70, biomarkers of ADP were measured in cerebrospinal

fluid (CSF, N ¼ 305), except NfL which was also available in plasma

(N ¼ 1082). In SNAC-K (N ¼ 1754), all biomarkers were measured

in serum. We used multivariable regression models to evaluate the

association between personality traits and ADP biomarkers, GFAP

and NfL among individuals without dementia. We further examined

if associations differed by age (SNAC-K only) and sex.

Results: 

In H70, higher neuroticism and was associated with lower

Ab42/Ab40 ratio (B¼-0.01, p ¼ 0.02). In SNAC-K, higher openness

was associated with lower NfL (B¼-0.04, p ¼ 0.03). For age 60-66,

higher openness was associated with lower NfL (B¼-0.09, p ¼ 0.01),

higher neuroticism was associated with higher GFAP (B ¼ 0.09,

p ¼ 0.01), and NfL (B ¼ 0.10, p ¼ 0.003). For age >80, higher open-

ness was associated with higher ptau-181, (B ¼ 0.14, p ¼ 0.01), and

ptau-181/Ab42 ratio (B ¼ 0.15, p ¼ 0.003).

Conclusions: 

Higher neuroticism and lower openness are associated

with neurodegeneration. Higher openness may also be associated

with resilience to AD-pathology.

Key messages:

• Neuroticism may contribute to neurodegeneration in people <70.

• Openness may contribute to cognitive resilience to ADP in peo-

ple >80.