Personality Traits and the Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease
Certain personality traits appear to be associated with amyloid and tau accumulation
Alzheimer associations
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition associated with cognitive, memory, and behavioral problems.
A lot of factors are associated with an increase or decrease of Alzheimer risk, none of which is a determinant. This means that even though some of these factors might apply to you, there is no guarantee that you will or will not develop the disease. It’s a game of averages and odds.
Still, the more we know, the better.
First, genetics. Several genes are implicated in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Most work has been done on the gene APOE, one version of which, APOEε4, is associated with a significantly increased risk for Alzheimer’s.
But genes are not destiny.
Number two, exercise. Physical exercise is good for you, including for your brain. Mental exercise matters too. Reading, writing, playing games, learning a new language, making music… All these activities confer some protection against Alzheimer’s. And perhaps mental exercise includes sleep too. Don’t neglect the importance of a healthy sleep…
