Page 78 - Javanan Magazine Issue # 1877

PSYCHOLOGICAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUE No. 1877
ISSUE No. 1856
PERSPECTIVES JAVANAN
PERSPECTIVES

JAVANAN
Dr. Alan A.
Modarressi LOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
Clinical and A SOCIOCULTURAL AND MIND AND BODY OUTLOOK
Neuro-Psychologyst
In this column, we examine the mental health issues in the context
of social, culture, and physiological concerns of the Iranian community

CAN YOUR

PERSONALITY TRAITS

PUT YOU AT RISK FOR

ALZHEIMER’S

A new Study Shows the Link
By: Dr. Ali A. Modarressi
Licensed Psychologist

A new and novel example, past research
research from the Florida has shown that low neu-
State University College of roticism helps with man-
Medicine found that chang- aging stress and reduces
es in the brain associated the risk of common
with Alzheimer's disease mental health disorders.
are often visible early on Similarly, high conscien-
in individuals with person- tiousness is consistently
ality traits associated with related to healthy life-
the condition. styles, like physical ac-
tivity. Over time, more
The study concentrated adaptive personality traits
on personality associa- can better support meta-
tions with amyloid and bolic and immunological
tau: Results from the functions, and ultimately
Baltimore Longitudinal prevent or delay the neu-
Study of Aging and meta- rodegeneration process."
analysis. It focused on two
traits previously linked to The BLSA is a sci-
the risk of dementia: neu- entific study of human
roticism, which measures aging conducted by the
a predisposition for nega- National Institute on Ag-
tive emotions, and consci- ing (NIA), part of the
entiousness, which mea- National Institutes of
sures the tendency to be Health (NIH), that began
careful, organized, goal- in 1958. Personality was
directed and responsible. measured using a five-
factor personality test, the
There have been past most common personal-
studies showing who's ity assessment tool. At the
at risk of developing gitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) and and lower in conscientiousness. time of their enrollment
dementia, but those other studies previously published work in a meta- The team also found associations to be in the BLSA neuroimaging sub-study,
were looking at the clinical diag- analysis that summarized 12 studies on stronger in studies of cognitively normal all participants were free of dementia or
nosis. Here, they are looking at the personality and Alzheimer's neuropa- people compared to studies that included other severe medical conditions.
neuropathology; that is, the lesions thology. The studies combined included people with cognitive problems.
in the brain that tell us about the un- more than 3,000 participants. Combin- Advances in brain scan technology
derlying pathological change. This ing results across studies provides more The findings suggest that personal- used to assess in vivo amyloid and tau
study shows that even before clini- robust estimates of the associations ity can help protect against Alzheimer's neuropathology made it possible for
cal dementia, personality predicts the between personality and neuropathol- and other neurological diseases by de- researchers to complete this work.
accumulation of pathology associated ogy than a single individual study can laying or preventing the emergence of
with dementia. typically provide. neuropathology for those strong in con- "Until recently, researchers measured
scientiousness and low in neuroticism. amyloid and tau in the brain through
The findings, published as an ar- In both the BLSA and meta-analysis, autopsy -; after people died," Terrac-
ticle-in-press online with Biological the researchers found more amyloid and "Such protection against neuropa- ciano said. "In recent years, advances in
Psychiatry and also available through tau deposits (the proteins responsible thology may derive from a lifetime medical imaging have made it possible
FSU's open access research repository, for the plaques and tangles that char- difference in people's emotions and to assess neuropathology when people
combine data from the Baltimore Lon- acterize Alzheimer's disease) in partici- behaviors," Terracciano said. "For are still alive, even before they show
pants who scored higher in neuroticism any symptoms."

DANESH FOROUGHI, PH.D. Alan Modarressi, PhD, QME
Licensed Clinical Psychologist, PSY13680 Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Licensed Marriage, Family & Child Psychotherapist, MFC23455 Qualified Medical Evaluator
Certified National Board of Addiction Examiners #4974 Certified Psychophsychologist
Tel: (310) 940-3642 Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management
15720 Ventura Blvd., Second Fl. #224 Encino CA 91436 (818) 501-6080 (562) 861-7226

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