Neuroticism in adolescence and cognitive function in midlife in the British 1946 birth cohort: The HALCyon program

The Big Five as Predictors of Cognitive Function in Individuals with Bipolar Disorder

The connection between cognitive function and the "Big Five" personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) in the general population is well known; however, studies researching bipolar disorder (BD) are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the Big Five as predictors of executive function, verbal memory, attention, and processing speed in euthymic individuals with BD (cross-sectional: n = 129, including time point t1; longitudinal: n = 35, including t1 and t2). Participants completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the Color and Word Interference Test, the Trail Making Test, the d2 Test of Attention Revised, and the California Verbal Learning Test. The results showed a significant negative correlation between executive function and neuroticism at t1. Changes in cognitive function between t1 and t2 did not correlate with and could not be predicted by the Big Five at t1. Additionally, worse executive function at t2 was predicted by higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness at t1, and high neuroticism was a predictor of worse verbal memory at t2. The Big Five might not strongly impact cognitive function over short periods; however, they are significant predictors of cognitive function. Future studies should include a higher number of participants and more time in between points of measurement.

The role of neuroticism in self-harm and suicidal ideation: results from two UK population-based cohorts

BACKGROUND

Self-harm is common, debilitating and associated with completed suicide and increased all-cause mortality, but there is uncertainty about its causal risk factors, limiting risk assessment and effective management. Neuroticism is a stable personality trait associated with self-harm and suicidal ideation, and correlated with coping styles, but its value as an independent predictor of these outcomes is disputed.

METHODS

Prior history of hospital-treated self-harm was obtained by record-linkage to administrative health data in Generation Scotland:Scottish Family Health Study (N = 15,798; self-harm cases = 339) and by a self-report variable in UK Biobank (N = 35,227; self-harm cases = 772). Neuroticism in both cohorts was measured using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Short Form. Associations of neuroticism with self-harm were tested using multivariable regression following adjustment for age, sex, cognitive ability, educational attainment, socioeconomic deprivation, and relationship status. A subset of GS:SFHS was followed-up with suicidal ideation elicited by self-report (n = 3342, suicidal ideation cases = 158) and coping styles measured by the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations. The relationship of neuroticism to suicidal ideation, and the role of coping style, was then investigated using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Neuroticism was positively associated with hospital-associated self-harm in GS:SFHS (per EPQ-SF unit odds ratio 1.2 95% credible interval 1.1-1.2, p_FDR 0.0003) and UKB (per EPQ-SF unit odds ratio 1.1 95% confidence interval 1.1-1.2, p_FDR 9.8 × 10^-17). Neuroticism, and the neuroticism-correlated coping style, emotion-oriented coping (EoC), were also associated with suicidal ideation in multivariable models.

CONCLUSIONS

Neuroticism is an independent predictor of hospital-treated self-harm risk. Neuroticism and emotion-orientated coping styles are also predictive of suicidal ideation.

Midlife Psychological Well-Being and its Impact on Cognitive Functioning Later in Life: An Observational Study Using a Female British Birth Cohort

BACKGROUND

There is growing interest in public health strategies to modify dementia risk in midlife to reduce the burden of cognitive impairment in subsequent decades. Risk reduction messages should include key recommendations for women in response to the high prevalence of dementia observed in this population. Midlife is a critical period for dementia-related brain changes and psychosocial crises. Psychological well-being can improve resilience to crises, yet it is not well understood with respect to dementia risk reduction.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the association between midlife psychological well-being and cognitive function in later life in women.

METHODS

The study included 703 women from the British 1946 birth cohort in the Medical Research Council's National Survey of Health and Development. Psychological well-being at 52 years was assessed using the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-being over six dimensions: autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. Cognitive function at 69 years was measured using the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination, Third Edition.

RESULTS

After controlling for cognitive ability at eight years, educational attainment by 26 years, occupational attainment and marital status by 53 years, depression, smoking, and physical exercise at 60-64 years, there was a significant association between greater personal growth and lower self-acceptance at 52 years, and better cognition at 69 years. However, there was no association between cognition and the other four Ryff scales.

CONCLUSION

Most aspects of midlife psychological well-being, except for personal growth and self-acceptance, were not prospectively associated with cognition.

Predicting cognitive function of the Malaysian elderly: a structural equation modelling approach

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of elderly's cognitive function based on biopsychosocial and cognitive reserve perspectives.

METHOD

The study included 2322 community-dwelling elderly in Malaysia, randomly selected through a multi-stage proportional cluster random sampling from Peninsular Malaysia. The elderly were surveyed on socio-demographic information, biomarkers, psychosocial status, disability, and cognitive function. A biopsychosocial model of cognitive function was developed to test variables' predictive power on cognitive function. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (version 15.0) in conjunction with Analysis of Moment Structures Graphics (AMOS 7.0).

RESULTS

The estimated theoretical model fitted the data well. Psychosocial stress and metabolic syndrome (MetS) negatively predicted cognitive function and psychosocial stress appeared as a main predictor. Socio-demographic characteristics, except gender, also had significant effects on cognitive function. However, disability failed to predict cognitive function.

CONCLUSION

Several factors together may predict cognitive function in the Malaysian elderly population, and the variance accounted for it is large enough to be considered substantial. Key factor associated with the elderly's cognitive function seems to be psychosocial well-being. Thus, psychosocial well-being should be included in the elderly assessment, apart from medical conditions, both in clinical and community setting.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between neuroticism and cognitive ability in advanced old age: the moderating role of severe sensory impairment

OBJECTIVES

Gaining a comprehensive picture of the network of constructs in which cognitive functioning is embedded is crucial across the full lifespan. With respect to personality, previous findings support a relationship between neuroticism and cognitive abilities. However, findings regarding old age are inconsistent. In particular, little is known about potentially moderating variables which might explain some of the inconsistency. Our aim was to examine the moderating effect of severe sensory impairment on cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between neuroticism and cognitive functioning.

METHOD

The study sample consisted of 121 visually impaired (VI), 116 hearing impaired (HI), and 150 sensory unimpaired older adults (UI). Mean age was 82.50 years (SD = 4.71 years). Neuroticism was assessed by the NEO Five Factor Inventory, and multiple established tests were used for the assessment of cognitive performance (e.g., subtests of the revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale).

RESULTS

Bivariate correlations and multi-group structural equation models indicated stronger relationships between cognitive abilities and neuroticism in both sensory impaired groups (VI and HI) compared to UI older individuals. This relationship was attenuated but still significant in both sensory impaired groups when controlling for age, education and health (number of chronic conditions). In cross-lagged panel models, higher baseline neuroticism was significantly associated with lower cognitive performance four years later in VI and HI individuals.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that sensory impairment moderates both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between neuroticism and cognitive function in advanced old age.

Positive association between neuroticism and working memory in healthy female volunteers

OBJECTIVES

Neuroticism is an important personality trait that is often associated with mental disorders. It has been reported that lower levels of neuroticism are associated with better cognitive function later in life; however, the concurrent association is unclear.

METHODS

A total of 184 healthy participants, 84 males and 100 females, completed the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised version and the 24-item neuroticism subscale of the Maudsley personality inventory.

RESULTS

The neuroticism score was found to be positively associated with verbal memory, general memory, and delayed recall, particularly among healthy females, independent of the effect of age.

CONCLUSION

The mechanisms of this association remain to be elucidated. Clinicians should pay additional attention to this phenomenon.

Cognitive function in childhood and lifetime cognitive change in relation to mental wellbeing in four cohorts of older people

BACKGROUND

Poorer cognitive ability in youth is a risk factor for later mental health problems but it is largely unknown whether cognitive ability, in youth or in later life, is predictive of mental wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cognitive ability at age 11 years, cognitive ability in later life, or lifetime cognitive change are associated with mental wellbeing in older people.

METHODS

We used data on 8191 men and women aged 50 to 87 years from four cohorts in the HALCyon collaborative research programme into healthy ageing: the Aberdeen Birth Cohort 1936, the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921, the National Child Development Survey, and the MRC National Survey for Health and Development. We used linear regression to examine associations between cognitive ability at age 11, cognitive ability in later life, and lifetime change in cognitive ability and mean score on the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and meta-analysis to obtain an overall estimate of the effect of each.

RESULTS

People whose cognitive ability at age 11 was a standard deviation above the mean scored 0.53 points higher on the mental wellbeing scale (95% confidence interval 0.36, 0.71). The equivalent value for cognitive ability in later life was 0.89 points (0.72, 1.07). A standard deviation improvement in cognitive ability in later life relative to childhood ability was associated with 0.66 points (0.39, 0.93) advantage in wellbeing score. These effect sizes equate to around 0.1 of a standard deviation in mental wellbeing score. Adjustment for potential confounding and mediating variables, primarily the personality trait neuroticism, substantially attenuated these associations.

CONCLUSION

Associations between cognitive ability in childhood or lifetime cognitive change and mental wellbeing in older people are slight and may be confounded by personality trait differences.

Neuroticism combined with slower and more variable reaction time: synergistic risk factors for 7-year cognitive decline in females

OBJECTIVE

Among adults, slower and more variable reaction times are associated with worse cognitive function and increased mortality risk. Therefore, it is important to elucidate risk factors for reaction time change over the life course. Method. Data from the Health and Lifestyle Survey (HALS) were used to examine predictors of 7-year decline in reaction time (N = 4,260). Regression-derived factor scores were used to summarize general change across 4 reaction time variables: simple mean, 4-choice mean, simple variability, and 4-choice variability (53.52% of variance).

RESULTS

Age (B = .02, p < .001) and HALS1 baseline reaction time (B = -.10, p = .001) were significant risk factors for males (N = 1,899). In addition to these variables, in females (N = 2,361), neuroticism was significant and interacted synergistically with baseline reaction time (B = .06, p = .04). Adjustment for physiological variables explained the interaction with neuroticism, suggesting that candidate mechanisms had been identified. Discussion. A priority for future research is to replicate interactions between personality and reaction time in other samples and find specific mechanisms. Stratification of population data on cognitive health by personality and reaction time could improve strategies for identifying those at greater risk of cognitive decline.

A life course approach to healthy ageing: the HALCyon programme

Healthy ageing across the life course (HALCyon) is an interdisciplinary research collaboration that harnesses the power of nine UK cohort studies to discover life course influences on physical and cognitive capability, social and psychological well-being, and underlying biology. In this symposium, HALCyon co-investigators reported the first wave of findings from five of the eight work packages.

A life course approach to the development of mental skills

A wide variety of factors across the life course jointly influence cognitive and emotional development. Indeed, research from a variety of disciplines strongly suggests that cognition and mental health are intertwined across the life course, by their common antecedents and underlying physiology in development and in their interplay across adult and later life. We suggest that cognitive and socioemotional function fuse to form skills for life supporting self-regulation, competence, and quality of life that persist into later life through linked reciprocal processes of genetic influence, nurturing, schooling, work, and lifestyle.