![](https://naturalhealthresponse.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/0710_1000x667-1000x300.jpg)
THESE Personality Traits Determine Your Dementia Risk?!
Your personality says a lot about who you are and how you look at life.
But did you know it can also impact your disease risk?
More specifically, it can impact your risk of developing dementia.
Find out what these two specific traits can tell you about your risk.
Psychologists say that there are five main personality traits, and they go by the acronym OCEAN:
- Openness to experience
- Conscientiousness
- Extroversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
Previous studies show that two of these traits are tied to the risk of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s.
For this study, researchers studied data collected from adults over age 65 who filled out a questionnaire that identifies personality traits and completed tests to determine cognitive function.
The results showed a clear connection between neuroticism and mild cognitive impairment. This is defined as a slight but noticeable decline in memory and thinking skills.
On the other hand, openness was associated with a reduced likelihood of mild cognitive impairment.
Said another way, neuroticism increases the risk of cognitive impairment, while openness helps protect against it.
Incidentally, neuroticism has also been associated with a greater disease burden in general and for the condition to be more severe.
Now that we see the connection between personality and mild cognitive impairment, a natural question follows:
Do these personality traits increase the risk, or do they occur as a result of existing impairment?
Meaning, it’s possible that someone with MCI would develop neurotic traits as a result of aging—and that they would have identified these traits differently when they were younger.
It’s also possible that these traits could be a result of loss of cognitive function.
We still don’t have all the answers, but I think the answer can be both.
Certain personality traits are associated with cognitive impairment AND certain personality traits can increase your risk of disease.
While you can’t do much about the first point, you can take steps to impact the second.
Neurotic people have a tendency to be more anxious, depressed, have self-doubt, and other negative feelings.
While this might be your tendency, it doesn’t have to be your reality.
Practices like yoga, meditation, stress-relief, social activities, therapy, and physical activity—coupled with good lifestyle habits like spending time in the sun, getting enough sleep, and cutting junk food out of your diet—can help you have a more positive mindset.
Studies like these show that it could impact your lifestyle AND your health.
![Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.](https://naturalhealthresponse.com/wp-content/themes/health-child/images/author-images/Dr.RichardGerhauser,M.D..jpg)
Written By Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.
For years he’s been the trusted doctor for celebrities, world-class athletes, and countless seniors looking to reclaim their health.
And now…for the first time ever… he’s making his medical breakthroughs available to readers all across America.
Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D. is one of the most pioneering and innovative minds in medicine today – and he delivers cutting-edge cures each month through his Natural Health Response newsletter.
Natural Health Response readers get full access to Dr. Gerhauser’s protocols for chronic pain… heart disease… diabetes… Alzheimer’s… and even cancer. These are the very same treatments Dr. Gerhauser recommends to his own patients at his practice in Tucson, Arizona.
In addition to being a board-certified medical doctor, Dr. Gerhauser has earned two master’s degrees and has served as a clinical professor at the University of Arizona.
And as a physician at the world-famous Canyon Ranch, Dr. Gerhauser treated celebrities from around the world who paid dearly for the type of next-generation health information he provides Natural Health Response readers each month.
View More Free Articles
CAUTION: Are You Living In a “Cancer Zone”
You have a lot more control over cancer than you realize. Lifestyle factors like avoiding ultra-processed foods, getting plenty of movement, and not smoking can reduce your cancer risk. But even if you’re doing “everything right,” you could be exposing yourself to something that can increase your cancer risk as much as smoking. When it […]
Fiber Fix Reduces Risk for THIS Terrifying Condition
Everyone knows that fiber is great for digestion. But fiber can do MUCH more than reduce your risk of constipation or hemorrhoids. Over the years, we’ve discovered fiber has other added benefits like lowering blood sugar, reducing heart disease risk, weight management, and more. Today, I have another one to add to the list—and it’s […]
“Breath of Fresh Air” Cancer Pain Relief
When it comes to pain, cancer patients can be hit with a double whammy. Cancer itself often causes pain—and so can the treatments. In fact, PAIN is one of the most common symptoms reported by cancer patients, with 30 to 40 percent experiencing ongoing pain. The last thing they need is to load even MORE […]
Eat Your Way to Lower Anxiety
Anxiety can be crippling. It can cause you to withdraw from your friends… leave you unable to work… and make it impossible to make decisions. Even worse, it can mess with your health, impacting your breathing, digestion, sleep, and more. Doctors predictably treat anxiety with drugs. And while meds might work for some in the […]
Don’t Ignore This Killer Constipation Threat
No one wants to talk about constipation… but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Besides causing pain, gas, and cramps, constipation can lead to more serious health risks, such as bowel incontinence, fecal impaction, anal fissures, and rectal prolapse. But even beyond these issues, constipation can increase your risk of suffering the number one […]
How Chronic Stress Shaves Years Off Your Life
This Labor Day, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the ingenuity, perseverance, and spirit of America’s workforce. Their daily efforts build our nation and fuel our progress. When it comes to stress, there’s good and bad news. The bad news is that chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of conditions like […]
Light Trick Slashes Near-Sightedness in Kids
Yesterday, I explained that spending time in the sun can reduce the risk of dying from the world’s two BIGGEST killers: heart disease and cancer. (If you missed it, you can catch up here.) Typically, I talk about sun benefits that extend to adults. But today, I’ve got one for the kids in your life. […]
Illuminating Solution SLASHES Cancer and Heart Disease Risk
Despite all the money we dump into the healthcare system, heart disease and cancer STILL kill over 1.3 million people in the US every year. And that number won’t be changing anytime soon. But instead of throwing millions of dollars at doctor’s visits, state-of-the-art testing, treatment, and drugs, I have a better idea. It doesn’t […]
The Habit That’s Killing Type 2 Diabetics
If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, you have an increased risk of health problems ranging from heart attack and stroke to kidney failure and neuropathy. You also have a higher risk of early death. People with type 2 diabetes live about six years less than average. That’s bad enough. But there’s ONE habit that […]
Avoid This Common Alzheimer’s Accelerator
There are certain risk factors for Alzheimer’s that you can’t change… like your age or family history. But the BIGGEST risk factors for this devastating disease are entirely within your control. These include factors like inactivity, being overweight, or being a smoker. Today, I want to highlight a risk factor that can increase your Alzheimer’s […]