GENEVA, March 18. / TASS /. In people with a conflict character who are not inclined to adapt to the general order, the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease and senile dementia was higher. A study by Swiss scientists showed that the volume of certain areas is better preserved in the brains of such people compared to conformists. The study published the scientific journal Neurobiology of Aging.
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Alzheimer’s disease is a serious illness that affects the brain. Because of it, the brain functions gradually and so far irreversibly degrade: memory, attention, intelligence are reduced, speech is disturbed, the patient ceases to recognize loved ones, navigate in space and take care of himself.
Scientists have not yet determined the exact cause of the disease, but it is believed that protein fragments that accumulate in the brain are involved – neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid beta. This interferes with both developing the final cure for Alzheimer’s disease and slowing down its course.
One area of research in this area is to find early signs of the disease or factors that slow its progress in specific patients. It is in this area that the new work of Swiss scientists is devoted, who over the course of five years studied 65 elderly people. Specialists studied MRI images, as well as the lifestyle and personality traits of the study participants.
To the surprise of scientists, it turned out that some features of a person’s personality can protect brain areas from degeneration. The brain of people who easily go to conflicts and are not inclined to compromise, was better protected from dementia.
Another character trait was associated with a more protected brain – curiosity, a tendency to experiment. “In this regard, scientific work brought fewer surprises, because it was previously known that the desire to study and interest in the world around us protect the brain from aging,” explained Panteleimon Ginnakopoulos, professor at the University of Geneva.
So far, scientists can not answer how the results of their work can be used to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. “It is difficult to change your personality, especially at an older age, but its features can be taken into account,” the professor concluded.
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