(NaturalNews) A study of nearly 1,000 people found that certain personality traits appeared to be a significant factor in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Even when mental stimulation and exercise were accounted for by researchers the link remained strong. The trait? Conscientiousness.
A Rush University Medical Center study followed 997 Catholic nuns, priests and monks from 1994 to 2006. Participants were given neurological exams, cognitive tests and personality surveys. The personality test determined self-discipline based on answers to such questions as, “I am a productive person who always gets the job done.” The average score on this test was 34 points on a scale from 0 to 48.
Eventually 176 of these volunteers developed Alzheimer’s disease. But those whose personalities were meticulous, self-disciplined and productive tended to remain disease free. In fact the participants with the highest scores in conscientiousness, 40 points or more, were found to have an 89% lower chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease than those who scored 28 or lower.
When exercise and intellectual engagement were taken into account the participants still showed a 54% lower incidence of developing the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease has been linked to amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, but in this study there were as many plaques and protein tangles in the brains of those who scored high in the self-discipline tests as those who scored low. This adds to the mystery of this now common disease.
There are many complex factors which remain unknown about Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists may never determine exactly how environmental toxins, dietary choices, exercise, behavior and other variables interact to cause the disease. Reducing risk should be a priority, especially now that researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health call Alzheimer’s disease an epidemic. They predict that in little over 40 years 1 in 85 persons worldwide could suffer the irreversible dementia characterizing the disease.
Report in New Scientist of Alzheimer’s disease linked to conscientious behavior
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/dn12717-selfdiscipline-may-reduce-alzheimers-risk.htmlJohns Hopkins Public Health Magazine forecasting Alzheimer’s epidemic
http://magazine.jhsph.edu/2007/Spring/features/aging_health/?page=3About the author
Laura Weldon lives on an organic farm and believes in bliss. Learn more about her book "Free Range Learning" by visiting at
www.lauragraceweldon.com
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