Personality Traits Strongly Linked to Mental Health Risks

 Is your competent? doctor looking at these to ensure you don't get depressed or have anxiety post stroke?

Personality Traits Strongly Linked to Mental Health Risks

Summary: A major study of over 16,000 participants found that personality traits explain about 25% of the overall risk for mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and phobias. Traits such as higher neuroticism, higher agreeableness, and lower conscientiousness were particularly associated with general mental health risk.

The researchers emphasized that while personality is a strong predictor, it is only one factor among many, including genetics and life experiences. The findings suggest that understanding personality could help create better-targeted mental health interventions.

Key Facts:

• Personality Predicts Risk: About 25% of mental health risk is tied to personality traits.
• Neuroticism Linked to Risk: Higher neuroticism, lower conscientiousness, and higher agreeableness predicted general mental health issues.
• Multiple Factors Matter: Personality is a strong factor but does not solely determine mental health outcomes.

Source: University of Edinburgh

Common mental health conditions are more closely related to people’s personalities than previously thought, a study suggests.

Personality traits explain about a quarter of the overall risk of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and phobias, the study found.

Researchers say the findings show personality is one of the most reliable predictors for the onset and persistence of mental health problems.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Tartu in Estonia analysed data from more than 16,000 members of the Estonian Biobank – a collection of health data from volunteers across the country.

They surveyed people’s personality according to the five traits psychologists define as the main dimensions of human personality: extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness to experience and agreeableness.

They also looked at more nuanced personality traits – such as tendencies to feel embarrassed, needing reassurance and needing help from others – as predictors of general mental health problems. 

The researchers also looked at both the general risk of experiencing different types of mental health problems and the risk of some specific problems that only some people experience, such as fear, sleeplessness, fatigue, inattention, and hyperactivity.

Each participant described their personality traits and mental health, and each participant was also rated by someone else who knew them well.

They found that personality traits were more strongly related to mental health problems than suggested by previous studies.

About 25 per cent of the differences in people’s risk of mental health problems could be traced to their personality traits.

On top of the general risk, personality traits explained another quarter of the risk for specific mental health problems.

People with a higher general mental health risk tended to have higher neuroticism – a tendency to feel negative emotions.(Not me)

They also tended to have higher agreeableness – a positive orientation towards other people – and lower conscientiousness – a tendency to be organised and hardworking.  (That's me)

However, specific mental health problems varied in their associations with personality traits.  

Some areas of mental health, such as sleep problems, were not particularly strongly correlated with any aspect of personality. 

Senior Researcher, Professor René Mõttus, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, said: “By combining data from two sources, we were able to overcome common problems in personality assessments, such as response bias and other types of measurement error. This allowed us to estimate the associations much more accurately.”  

The researchers stress that people’s personalities do not determine their mental health problems.

Lead author, Helo Liis Soodla, of the University of Tartu, said: “Many people whose traits might statistically predict poor mental health report great well-being. Conversely, many people who experience mental health problems at some point in their lives do not appear to be at risk based on their personality traits.

“In any given individual, a number of things can affect mental health, from genetic risk variants to stressful childhood events. Each factor on its own accounts for only a tiny proportion of the risk of poor mental health. And much is simply down to luck.”

The researchers say the more we know about the potential of traits to increase mental health risk, the more likely we are to be able to design successful interventions to reduce the risks.

Funding:

The work was funded by the Estonian Research Council.

About this mental health and personality research news

Author: Joanne Morrison
Source: University of Edinburgh
Contact: Joanne Morrison – University of Edinburgh
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
“Assessing the Overlap of Personality Traits and Internalizing Psychopathology Using Multi-Informant Data: Two Sides of the Same Coin?” by René Mõttus et al. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science

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.

Study finds certain personality traits can predict dementia

 Did your competent? doctor explain this to you so you can work on preventing dementia post stroke? NO? So you don't have a functioning stroke doctor, do you?

I'm extremely good at the positive ones.

Your chances of getting dementia. YOUR DOCTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PREVENTING THIS!

1. A documented 33% dementia chance post-stroke from an Australian study?   May 2012.

2. Then this study came out and seems to have a range from 17-66%. December 2013.`    

3. A 20% chance in this research.   July 2013.

4. Dementia Risk Doubled in Patients Following Stroke September 2018

The latest here:

Study finds certain personality traits can predict dementia

A new study titled “Can Personality Traits Predict Dementia?” looks at various personality traits and their correlation with whether or not the person with them is more or less likely to develop dementia. The study, conducted by researchers from Northwestern University and the University of California, Davis, involved analyzing data from 44,531 participants who were part of eight longitudinal studies conducted across three continents and five countries. The researchers focused on personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, positive affect, and negative affect. The data was combined and harmonized to examine whether personality traits and subjective reports of well-being influenced the neuropsychological and neuropathological characteristics of dementia. (1)

 

Neuroticism, low conscientiousness, and negative affect were linked to an increased risk of dementia, while conscientiousness, extraversion, and positive affect were associated with a lower risk. Interestingly, no consistent associations were found between personality traits and dementia-related brain changes. It is important to note that the samples used in the study were predominantly from the United States, which presents a limitation in terms of generalizability across diverse populations.

 

Before continuing to talk about the study, let's quickly define what the personality traits mentioned in the study actually mean:©Provided by The Hearty Soul

• Conscientiousness: A trait associated with the tendency to be responsible, organized, hard-working, goal-directed, and to adhere to norms and rules. These people tend to exhibit self-control, industriousness, responsibility, and reliability. (2)
• Extraversion: A trait associated with a general tendency to experience positive emotions, as well as traits such as sociability, assertiveness, high activity level, positive emotions, and impulsivity. (3)
• Neuroticism: the trait disposition to experience negative affects, including anger, anxiety, self‐consciousness, irritability, emotional instability, and depression. Persons with elevated levels of neuroticism respond poorly to environmental stress, interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and can experience minor frustrations as hopelessly overwhelming. (4)
• Positive Affect: PA is characterized by joy and high levels of energy, concentration, enthusiasm, and alertness. (5)
• Negative Affect: NA is characterized by distress, anger, contempt, and nervousness or fear.

The results of this study provide valuable insights into the potential predictive power of personality traits in relation to dementia. Identifying these risk factors earlier could assist in the development of targeted interventions and personalized strategies to mitigate the risk of developing dementia. The findings also highlight the need for further research to explore these associations using biomarkers of dementia and in more diverse and inclusive populations.

 

If you possess certain personality traits, it is important to be aware of their potential implications in relation to dementia. Individuals who exhibit neuroticism, low conscientiousness, or negative affect may be at an increased risk of developing dementia. On the other hand, those high in conscientiousness, extraversion, or positive affect may have a reduced risk. Understanding these associations can act as a trigger for individuals to take proactive steps in monitoring their cognitive health and adopting lifestyle choices that may help reduce the risk of dementia.

 

Dementia is a broad term used to describe a range of symptoms that result from progressive brain damage. It affects memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for around 60-70% of cases. Other types include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia is a significant public health issue, not only for individuals and families affected but also for healthcare systems and society as a whole. (6)  

 

The personality traits most associated with being diagnosed with dementia

 I'm certainly not neurotic and I'm eternally happy.

The personality traits most associated with being diagnosed with dementia

There are a number of things you can do to avoid being diagnosed with dementia later in life.

There are food items you can eat, things you can drink, and just small improvements you can make to your health that can make a big difference.

But there are also some personality traits that a recent study showed are linked to dementia.

• First signs of dementia that can occur before memory loss
• Four signs to look out for in your walk that could show signs of dementia

A survey examined 44,531 people age 49 to 81. Of the group, 1,703 people developed dementia. Participants took part in personality assessments and underwent brain examinations after they died.

According to the Huffington Post, people had high levels of neuroticism and those with negative affect "had a higher risk of developing dementia over the long term."

Little-known dementia symptom is first spotted in the eyes, says health expert

Eating snack could reduce the risk of dementia, studies say

Neuroticism is defined as a personality trait associated with emotional instability, irritability, anxiety, self-doubt, depression, and other negative feelings.

By the same token, those who had a more positive outlook on life and showed signs of enthusiasm towards every day tasks were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

While there were undeniably some interesting findings in the report, it's also important to note that 'no clear link' was not found between personality and evidence of underlying disease.

The No. 1 personality trait linked to a long life: 'The effects of just being positive are overstated,' psychology expert says

 

The No. 1 personality trait linked to a long life: 'The effects of just being positive are overstated,' psychology expert says

The No. 1 personality trait linked to a long life: 'The effects of just being positive are overstated,' psychology expert says The No. 1 personality trait linked to a long life: 'The effects of just being positive are overstated,' psychology expert says Many centenarians credit their longevity, at least in part, to their positive attitude.

Roslyn Menaker, 103, told The Guardian that "happiness, joy, appreciation … a positive outlook," are why she has lived so long. Ruth Sweedler, 103, told CNBC Make It that she was always praised for her good attitude growing up. "When I walked into a classroom, my teacher would say, 'Good morning, sunshine!' Because I was so cheerful," she said.

While seniors might feel being positive has played a role in their longevity, the relationship between personality and aging is more nuanced, says David Watson, a former professor of personality psychology at the University of Notre Dame.

"I think the effects of just being positive are overstated," he says. But there are other traits he believes are closely linked to longevity. 

'Conscientious people don't do stupid things'

When breaking down personality, it's helpful to look at the Five Factor Model, a personality theory that suggests most people's traits can be grouped into five categories: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. (I'm high in 1-4 and have none of 5.)

Conscientiousness, or how organized and disciplined you are, is the most related to longevity, Watson says.

This is likely because people with high degrees of conscientiousness are better at taking care of themselves. Conscientious people, for example, tend to drink alcohol in moderation(say it isn't so, alcohol has no redeeming use according to some.) and eat more balanced meals, he says. 

"Conscientious people don't do stupid things so they have lower rates of accidents and better health behaviors," he says.

Don't miss: 100-year-old sisters share 5 simple tips for leading a long, happy life

The good news is you can increase your conscientiousness with age. There are even conscientiousness workshops that seek to increase a person's ability to self-regulate, Watson says.

"The basic idea is if you want to increase your conscientiousness, act more conscientious, and the attitude follows the behavior," he says. "Try to be on time for things. Follow through on things." 

This doesn't mean a positive attitude does nothing, he adds.

Agreeableness can play a part in longevity, too, especially when it comes to weathering stressful situations. 

"Psychologically healthy people have a quicker recovery time," he says. "They are able to tell themselves, 'This is not that big of a deal.' They find ways to bring themselves back into that equilibrium." 

If you're living a healthy lifestyle and able to bounce back from hardship, that, Watson says, could lead to having a longer, more satisfying life. 

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New study finds factor that increases your risk of Parkinson’s by 80 percent

 So with your risk of Parkinson's post stroke your doctor is responsible to make sure you don't become neurotic about your stress in not having 100% recovery protocols.

High levels of stress also play a role in neuroticism.

Parkinson’s Disease May Have Link to Stroke March 2017

 

New study finds factor that increases your risk of Parkinson’s by 80 percent

Story at a glance:

• Those who experience neuroticism more are more likely to get Parkinson’s disease, suggests a new study.
• The study looked at nearly half a million people aged 40 to 69.
• Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects motor skills and physical functions.

People with neuroticism — abnormally sensitive, obsessive, or tense and anxious personalities — are more likely to get Parkinson’s disease.

A new study from Florida State University College of Medicine has concluded that the data collected by the UK Biobank show a correlation between people who have anxiety and depression and Parkinson’s disease, Eat This, Not That reported.

From the mid- to late-90s, the Biobank recruited and assessed nearly half a million people aged 40 to 69 for neuroticism and followed them for 12 years. Their results were published in the journal Movement Disorders.

The scientists found that people who scored in the top quartile of neuroticism had more than an 80 percent greater risk of Parkinson’s than those with a lower score.

---

“Anxiety and depression are comorbid with Parkinson’s disease,” said Antonio Terracciano, a geriatrics professor who led the study. “Many people with Parkinson’s tend to be anxious or tend to get depressed. Part of that could be due to the disease and how it alters the brain and can have an influence on emotions. Part could be a psychological reaction of having a diagnosis of the disease.”

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects motor skills and physical functions, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The brain gets damaged which causes the body’s dopamine, a compound that helps enable body movement, to decrease, gradually causing people to have tremors in one hand, then stiffness or slowing of movement commonly follows. 

Parkinson’s also affects one’s posture, making people look stooped or off balance. 

There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but medications are available to improve symptoms, and on some occasions, doctors may suggest surgery to regulate certain regions of the brain and improve symptoms.

This May Almost Double Your Parkinson's Risk, Study Shows: neuroticism

With your already heightened risk of Parkinsons due to your stroke you'll want your doctor to treat this condition. I know I'm not neurotic.

Your risk of Parkinsons here:

Parkinson’s Disease May Have Link to Stroke March 2017

The latest here:

This May Almost Double Your Parkinson's Risk, Study Shows

Michael Martin

Mon, April 19, 2021, 8:44 AM·3 min read

Having the personality trait known as neuroticism can make you more susceptible to Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests. If you're not sure what being neurotic is—aside from reading the descriptor in reviews of sitcoms and Woody Allen movies—it's an actual clinical diagnosis.

For the new study published in the journal Movement Disorders, researchers from the Florida State University College of Medicine analyzed data collected by the UK Biobank, which recruited nearly half a million people aged 40 to 69 from the mid-to-late-'90s and followed them for 12 years. (Each person's neuroticism was assessed when they joined the study.) The scientists found that people who scored in the top quartile of neuroticism had more than an 80% greater risk of Parkinson's, compared to those who scored lower.

"Anxiety and depression are comorbid with Parkinson's disease," said Antonio Terracciano, a geriatrics professor who led the study. "Many people with Parkinson's tend to be anxious or tend to get depressed. Part of that could be due to the disease and how it alters the brain and can have an influence on emotions. Part could be a psychological reaction of having a diagnosis of the disease."

According to a 2017 report in the journal World Psychiatry, neuroticism is defined as "the trait disposition to experience negative affects, including anger, anxiety, self‐consciousness, irritability, emotional instability, and depression." People with high levels of neuroticism "respond poorly to environmental stress, interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and can experience minor frustrations as hopelessly overwhelming."

 

Personality, Retirement, and Cognitive Impairment: Moderating and Mediating Associations

I think I'm good on conscientiousness and lower neuroticism and nothing here will change my stance on retirement.

 Personality, Retirement, and Cognitive Impairment: Moderating and Mediating Associations

Jason E. Strickhouser, PhD, Angelina R. Sutin, PhD

First Published October 25, 2020 Research Article Find in PubMed 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264320969080

Article information

Abstract

Objectives: 

Five-factor model (FFM) personality traits, including higher conscientiousness and lower neuroticism, are associated with lower risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. In this research, we test whether retirement status moderates and/or mediates the relation between personality and cognitive impairment.  

Method: 

We used data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 9899), a longitudinal study of Americans over the age of 50 years, to examine moderating and mediating associations between personality traits and retirement status on risk of dementia and cognitive impairment not dementia (CIND) over an 8–10 year follow-up.  

Results: 

Personality and retirement each had strong, independent associations with risk of dementia and CIND. There were not, however, strong or consistent, moderating or mediating associations between personality and retirement predicting impairment risk.  

Discussion: Overall, these results indicate that personality and retirement are independent risk factors for incident cognitive impairment. Mechanisms other than retirement are likely to explain this association.

Keywords personality, retirement, dementia, cognitive impairment, longitudinal

Access Options

 

Neuroticism and fatigue 3 months after ischemic stroke: A cross-sectional study

I'd be neurotic also if my doctor knew nothing about stroke recovery and had no protocols to get me 100% recovered. I don't deal well with people who don't do their job well and can get quite irritable. This is blaming the patient rather than the doctor that failed the patient.

Neuroticism and fatigue 3 months after ischemic stroke: A cross-sectional study

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , Volume 98(4) , Pgs. 716-721.

NARIC Accession Number: J75826.  What's this?
ISSN: 0003-9993.
Author(s): Lau, Chieh G.; Tang, Wai K.; Liu, Xiang X.; Liang, Hua J.; Liang, Yan; Mok, Vincent; Wong, Adrian; Ungvari, Gabor S.; Kutlubaev, Mansur A.; Wong, Ka S..
Publication Year: 2017.
Number of Pages: 6.
Abstract: Study examined relationship between neuroticism and fatigue in 191 Chinese patients with stroke. Neuroticism is a personality trait characterized by anxiety, irritability, emotional instability, and impulsiveness. Individuals with high neuroticism find it more difficult to cope with stress and to control urges and are more likely to experience offensive emotions and anger. Fatigue is common in patients in both acute and chronic phases of stroke. Neuroticism was measured with the neuroticism subscale of the Chinese version of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). The level of fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Assessment Scale. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Barthel Index, and Mini-Mental State Examination were administered to obtain demographic and clinical information. Results showed that fatigue severity 3 months after stroke positively correlated with GDS and NEO-FFI neuroticism scores and negatively correlated with the Barthel Index score. Findings indicate that neuroticism, independent of depressive symptoms, is a predictor of fatigue severity 3 months after stroke. Interventions such as psychological screening programs are warranted for early detection of patients at high risk of post-stroke depression.
Descriptor Terms: ANXIETY DISORDERS, CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME, DEPRESSION, EMOTIONAL DISORDERS, INTERNATIONAL REHABILITATION, PERSONALITY, STROKE.


Can this document be ordered through NARIC's document delivery service*?: Y.

Citation: Lau, Chieh G., Tang, Wai K., Liu, Xiang X., Liang, Hua J., Liang, Yan, Mok, Vincent, Wong, Adrian, Ungvari, Gabor S., Kutlubaev, Mansur A., Wong, Ka S.. (2017). Neuroticism and fatigue 3 months after ischemic stroke: A cross-sectional study.  Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , 98(4), Pgs. 716-721. Retrieved 5/13/2017, from REHABDATA database.


* The majority of journal articles, books, and reports in our collection are only available by regular mail, rather than downloadable electronic format. Learn more about our digital collection and our document delivery service.

More information about this publication:
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Neurotic People Have A Surprising Mental Advantage

If you want this advantage does your doctor have a protocol to deliver it and does s/he have the right to refuse your request?

Neuroticism and Long-Time Stress Linked to Alzheimer's in Women

 Neurotic People Have A Surprising Mental Advantage

High levels of creativity may go hand-in-hand with neuroticism, a new study finds.
It’s because the area of the brain which is linked to creativity also has the tendency to over-think things and worry.
Neuroticism is characterised by negative thinking in a range of areas (take the neuroticism test here).
For a long time neurotic people were thought to have a heightened perception to threat.
This doesn’t fit the facts, though, explains Dr Adam Perkins, the study’s first author, said:

“…it’s pretty difficult to explain neuroticism in terms of magnified threat perception because high scorers often feel unhappy in situations where there is no threat at all.
The second problem is, there’s literature showing neuroticism scores are positively correlated with creativity; and so why should having a magnified view of threat objects make you good at coming up with new ideas?”

The neuroscientists noticed, though, that neurotic people have high activity in part of the medial prefrontal cortex.

How Neurotic Are You? One-Minute Personality Test

I scored 0 out of 40.

Very low neuroticism

You personality is more emotionally stable than at least 93% of people -- even more than that if you scored lower than a 3.

Have at it. I'm sure there is some correlation with happiness and ability to handle setbacks. Your doctor probably should know this in order to treat you better.

http://www.spring.org.uk/test/how-neurotic-are-you-one-minute-personality-test-25? 

Neuroticism and Long-Time Stress Linked to Alzheimer's in Women

You will need to make sure your doctor  stops the stress in your life like your chances of  PTSD following stroke or TIA of 23%. And the stress of your doctor having no clue how to get you to 100% recovery.


http://news.yahoo.com/neuroticism-long-time-stress-linked-alzheimers-women-201745693.html 

Women who feel anxious, moody and distressed for significant amounts of time during middle age may be at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life, a new study suggests.

In the study, researchers followed 800 women over 38 years. At the study's start, their  average age was 46. The researchers assessed the women's levels of distress and neuroticism, which is a personality trait that psychologists describe as the tendency to feel negative emotions when you are threatened or frustrated. The researchers also examined the women's memory abilities, and looked at how extroverted or introverted they were.

During the study, 153 women developed some type of dementia, including 104 who developed Alzheimer's disease. The researchers found that the women with the highest levels of neuroticism who also experienced long-standing distress were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease as the women with the lowest levels of neuroticism.

This is badly written, no way of even finding out where the study was published.

More at link.