Alzheimer's personality type
 

Do you know someone or have you known someone with Alzheimer's disease? If so, how would you describe their personality before they had Alzheimer's? What general traits or characteristics did they have?

For example: My father was a very quiet non-talkative person. He was easy going and easy to get along with but would get agitated if any family member tried to get him into a conversation about something that he was not familiar with. In other words, he did not like to use his imagination or speculate about something he was not familiar with.

I'm sure that not everyone with Alzheimer's has the same personality but I'm just wondering if there's a certain personality type that is more prone to it.

One hypothesis is that those who have control issues, might just be more inclined to develop the disease. Then there have been studies that seem to indicate individuals with happy personalities may not exhibit signs of Alzheimer's even though upon autopsy, their brains showed the plaque that is seen in people with this disease.

http://www.peakhealthadvocate.com/45...s-personality/

Oh my goodness, two people in our family have dementia and they were both control freaks. One, in my husband's family, had a very "powerful" job and went downhill rapidly when he became a small fish in a big pond on retirement; the one in my family controlled everything to do with my parents and her husband and was very reclusive. I always thought the dementia came on because she had no circle of friends for support when her husband died. Interesting.

Interesting article but it doesn't fit my mom or her 4 sisters, all of whom got Alzheimers. My mom remarried at age 69, was happy and very outgoing. Her sisters were all extroverts but everyone of them got the disease in their mid 80's. Something genetic going on here.

I, too, feel something genetic might be going on. I have a friend whose family had many members develop the condition, so many in fact, that a medical school was conducting studies on them at one time. At this time, my friend has shown some indication that the potential for the disease exists for her. Seeing your father, uncles, cousins develop dementia would make me take pause.

My father exhibited some signs of the disease in his later years, Mom did not. Do not recall any other family members impacted, but who knows. Many died in their 90's before I was around.

my 85 year old father has alzheimers and he was a quick tempered man and not patient. When he started showing signs we didnt notice it right away because that was how he always was. Even now he gets very angry which goes with the disease he also was a very heavy drinker most of his life which we have been told is another factor. He is the only one in his family 6 siblings who came down with this terrible disease. I know someone who told me her aunt was the most mild mannered sweetest person you could meet and when she came down with alzhiemers completely changed.

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Studies indicate a strong link between Alzheimers and diabetes, some even calling it Diabetes Type 3. Stay tuned for more research.

Are we confusing Altzheimer's with plain old senile dementia?

Is personality a lifestyle? I can change what I do in life but I'm not sure I can change my personality.

Thanks, good link. I like the idea that "emotional resilience and conscientiousness" reduces the risk of developing dementia.

Maybe we have it backwards...maybe the disease that ultimately ends with Alzheimer is what causes the personality type. Maybe the prions/tangles affect personality and not the other way around. It wouldn't be a precedent, there are infections that change animals behaviour that is well documented.

I thought Alzheimer's and dementia were not the same thing.

Dementia is a broad term that covers different brain disorders such as:

Alzheimer's

Hardening of the arteries (vascular dementia)

Parkinson's

Mixed dementia: (more than one type occuring at the same time)

Hydrocephalus

Huntinton's disease

An example of "mixed dementia": Alzheimer's and vascular dementia often occur at the same time.