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Personality and cognitive resilience to accelerated epigenetic aging
Yannick Stephan1, Angelina R Sutin2, Martina Luchetti2
1Euromov, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Journal of Psychiatric Research
|February 25, 2026
Summary
Personality traits like conscientiousness and openness promote cognitive resilience to accelerated epigenetic aging, while neuroticism is linked to lower resilience. This highlights personality
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Cognitive Neuroscience
- Epigenetics and Aging Research
Background:
- Personality traits are linked to cognitive resilience against dementia neuropathology.
- Accelerated epigenetic aging is a marker of biological aging and cognitive decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between personality traits and cognitive resilience to accelerated epigenetic aging.
- To determine if personality influences cognitive function relative to biological aging markers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 2926 adults (50-98 years) from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).
- Assessed personality, cognition, and epigenetic aging (GrimAge, DunedinPoAM38).
- Defined cognitive resilience as residuals of cognition regressed on epigenetic aging measures.
Main Results:
- Higher neuroticism correlated with worse-than-expected cognition relative to epigenetic age.
- Higher conscientiousness and openness were associated with better-than-expected cognition.
- Neuroticism predicted lower cognitive resilience, while conscientiousness and openness predicted higher resilience.
Conclusions:
- Personality traits are significantly associated with cognitive resilience to accelerated epigenetic aging.
- These associations persist after accounting for various health and lifestyle factors.
- Findings extend resilience research beyond neuropathology to systemic aging impacts.
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