Personality Changes as an early marker of Mild Cognitive Impairment

The high incidence of personality changes in Dementia of Alzheimer type and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) makes these changes a potential early marker of these conditions. There is recent evidence that premorbid personalitystyle could predict the likelihood of certain behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Objectives: The present study aims to detect personality traits of patients with MCI, to describe and compare personality traits withnormal healthy subjects, and to describe and identify relationships between personality factors, mood, and behavioral symptoms. Methods: 38 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 40 healthy control subjects matched by age andeducational level were assessed with a personality inventory (NEO-FI), and an extensive neuropsychological battery.Results & Conclusions: The values of agreeableness were significantly higher in patients with MCI than in healthy control subjects; this trait increased in patients with MCI over time, being a change from the expected development for the general population. On the other hand, the relationship between the neuroticism trait and the rest of the personality traits is altered in patients with MCI already before the onset of the disease, which is a finding to be considered and could help identify subjects at risk of cognitive impairment.