Your personality traits might indicate whether you are at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease as you age. Those who are less agreeable and more confrontational appear to have better neuroprotection against the disease. Lower agreeableness was associated with lower brain volume loss in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and other areas linked to memory. Higher openness was also associated with lower brain volume loss in the hippocampus. The data suggests a combination of lower agreeableness and higher openness could be independent predictors of the preservation of brain volume in areas vulnerable to neurodegeneration.
