The more extroverted a person is, the more likely it is to increase cognitive reserve.
Entered 2024.01.06 16:00 Views 3,289 Entered 2024.01.06 16:00 Modified 2024.01.05 16:31 Views 3,289
People who are nervous, unstable, or angry, as well as those with conscientious personalities, were found to be more likely to develop dementia. [사진= 게티이미지뱅크]Nervous and anxious people, even conscientiously good people? It has been shown that certain tendencies have a higher risk of developing dementia. Your risk of developing dementia varies depending on your personality, because personality affects your cognitive reserve, which means your brain is functioning optimally.
‘Yahoo Life’ cited a study conducted by researchers at the University of California and reported that conscientious people were found to be more likely to develop dementia. Studies have shown that people who are more neurotic or prone to feelings of anger, guilt, or anxiety also have a higher risk of developing dementia. Conversely, people who were extroverted or had a positive outlook on life were less likely to develop dementia.
The researchers classified 44,000 people aged 49 to 81 according to five major personality traits, including conscientiousness, extroversion, openness to experience, neuroticism, and agreeableness, and then compared and analyzed their risk of developing dementia.
The researchers explained, “It is related to the concept of cognitive reserve, a resilience built into the brain due to genetics, personality, and various lifestyle factors, resulting in better resistance to disease.” Extroverts are much more likely to engage in social activities known to help increase cognitive reserve, while neurotic people may be more prone to pushing people away and isolating themselves.
Cognitive reserve is the brain’s extra ability to improvise in response to age-related damage, meaning it can continue to function optimally for longer. How can we increase our cognitive reserve?
Memory peaks between the ages of 30 and 40. Studies show that after age 50, overall brain volume begins to decrease, especially in areas associated with complex thought processes and learning, which is why we have problems remembering names or retrieving words as we age.
However, this decline is not inevitable. Joyce Schaeffer, a behavioral scientist at the University of Washington, said studies of some centenarians have shown that their brain function remains equivalent to that of an average 50- to 60-year-old.
There are several biological explanations for why certain people seem to have greater cognitive reserve. Henne Holstege, an associate professor at UMC in Amsterdam, who is conducting a study of more than 100 cognitively healthy Dutch centenarians, said that while age-related changes can be seen in the study participants’ brains, they still have high levels of myelin and other proteins. He said that he is maintaining it. Myelin is a protective fatty covering, commonly called white matter, that forms around neurons.
Neuroscientists say that activities that cognitively stimulate the brain, such as continued intellectual and social engagement well into old age, help preserve neural connections by keeping levels of these proteins high in the brain.
Cognitive reserve is likened to computer software that can be continuously upgraded throughout one’s life. This means that whether you are middle-aged or in your 80s or 90s, it is never too late to take steps to increase your cognitive reserve.
Reporter Park Joo-hyeon
sabina@kormedi.com
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2024-01-06 13:02:07
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