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Is personality associated with dementia risk? A meta-analytic investigation
Aschwanden D, Strickhouser JE, Luchetti M, Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Terracciano A.. Ageing research reviews, 2021-02-06
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
This study provides a quantitative synthesis of the prospective associations between personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness) and the risk of incident Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. We conducted five separate meta-analyses with 8-12 samples (N = 30,036 to 33,054) that were identified through a systematic literature search following the MOOSE guidelines. Higher neuroticism (HR = 1.24, 95% CI [1.17, 1.31]) and lower conscientiousness (HR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.73, 0.81]) were associated with increased dementia risk, even after accounting for covariates such as depressive symptoms. Lower extraversion (HR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.86, 0.97]), openness (HR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.86, 0.96]), and agreeableness (HR = 0.90, 95% CI [0.83, 0.98]) were also associated with increased risk, but these associations were less robust and not significant in fully adjusted models. No evidence of publication bias was found. The strength of associations was unrelated to publication year (i.e., no evidence of winner's curse). Meta-regressions indicated consistent effects for neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness across methods to assess dementia, dementia type, follow-up length, sample age, minority, country, and personality measures. The association of extraversion and agreeableness varied by country. Our findings indicate robust associations of neuroticism and conscientiousness with dementia risk.
Key findings
- Higher neuroticism (HR = 1.24, 95% CI [1.17, 1.31]) and lower conscientiousness (HR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.73, 0.81]) were associated with increased dementia risk, even after accounting for covariates such as depressive symptoms.
- Lower extraversion (HR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.86, 0.97]), openness (HR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.86, 0.96]), and agreeableness (HR = 0.90, 95% CI [0.83, 0.98]) were also associated with increased risk, but these associations were less robust and not significant in fully adjusted models.
- Our findings indicate robust associations of neuroticism and conscientiousness with dementia risk.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis found that higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness were linked to increased dementia risk, even after accounting for depressive symptoms, while links for extraversion, openness, and agreeableness were less robust. It identifies personality traits associated with risk but does not show that changing personality prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Participants30,036
- Effect sizeHR = 1.24; HR = 0.77; HR = 0.92
- Evidence strengthHigh
Limitations
Personality and dementia risk are both measured through observational data, so this cannot establish whether personality traits directly cause changes in dementia risk or instead reflect other underlying biological or behavioral factors.
How this study scored 70/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Ageing research reviews) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Ageing Research Reviews: journal h-index 225 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 30,036 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 116 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.6 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 48 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Antonio Terracciano: h-index 87 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Florida State University: institution h-index 755 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 33561581) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 70 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Aschwanden, D., Strickhouser, J. E., Luchetti, M., Stephan, Y., Sutin, A. R., & Terracciano, A. (2021). Is personality associated with dementia risk? A meta-analytic investigation. Ageing research reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2021.101269
Vancouver
Aschwanden D, Strickhouser JE, Luchetti M, Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Terracciano A. Is personality associated with dementia risk? A meta-analytic investigation. Ageing research reviews. 2021. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2021.101269. PMID: 33561581.
BibTeX
@article{aschwanden2021-33561581,
author = {Aschwanden, D. and Strickhouser, J. E. and Luchetti, M. and Stephan, Y. and Sutin, A. R. and Terracciano, A.},
title = {{Is personality associated with dementia risk? A meta-analytic investigation}},
journal = {Ageing research reviews},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1016/j.arr.2021.101269},
pmid = {33561581},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2021.101269}
}
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