Premorbid personality predicts level of rated personality change in patients with Alzheimer disease

Multiple studies of individuals with Alzheimer disease have substantiated significant levels of informant-rated change in several domains and facets of the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory, including increases in Neuroticism and decreases in Extraversion and Conscientiousness relative to premorbid personality traits. Decline in Openness was cited in some reports, and replicable changes were identified in several facets. Current and premorbid personality of 50 patients with Alzheimer disease were rated by informants using the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess possible relationships of levels of reported change with covariates, including premorbid rating, education, duration of dementia, age, gender, and Mini-Mental State Examination score. Premorbid rating was the only significant predictor of reported change for Neuroticism, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and the facets Anxiety (N1), Assertiveness (E3), and Activity (E4). Rated change in Depression was also found to be related to duration of dementia, change in Vulnerability was influenced by gender, and reported change in both Openness and Ideas showed a relationship to level of education.