Openness and age influence the progression of mild cognitive impairment

The characterization of risk factors for dementia and protective factors for the maintenance of healthy aging remains a relevant area for research. For this reason, the way people interact with the world around them and, therefore, some psychological and personality characteristics of individuals, seem to determine behavioral patterns that are associated with better health throughout life and, consequently, prevent the progression of early cognitive changes to dementia.One hundred and two volunteers were evaluated clinically and for personality characteristics and neuropsychological testing. Of these, 25 subjects were classified as cognitively normal (CN), 25 as subjective cognitive decline (SCD), 28 as non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment (naMCI), and 24 as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (amMCI). Follow-up occurred over two years from the initial assessment, and participants' cognitive categories were re-analyzed every six months to observe variation in the same.Of the 102 subjects, 65 remained at follow-up. The sample followed up longitudinally was composed predominantly of women (65%), white (74%), with a mean age of 78 (±7.5) years and 12 (±4.8) years of education. Throughout the process, 23% of CN, 15% of DCS, and 27% of CCLNA individuals worsened cognitively. In the same period, 15% of the CCLAM and 31% of the CCLNA improved in cognitive ratings. Using the contingency table to study associations of variables, it was observed that older ages present greater cognitive worsening (p=0.05), and that very low or high indices of the personality trait Openness present associations with cognitive worsening (p=0.005). Probably because the Open extremes are a product of the improper functioning of the Standard Mode Network.The factors most associated with cognitive change in this group of elderly were age and the intensity of the Openness aspects of the personality.