Cognitive engagement and cognitive aging: Is openness protective?

The purpose of this study was to examine whether openness to experience is related to longitudinal change in cognitive performance across advancing age. Participants were 857 individuals from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging (SATSA). Factors for 5 cognitive domains were created, including verbal ability, spatial ability, memory, processing speed, and a global score, g. Latent growth curve models were used to assess level and longitudinal trajectories of cognitive performance. It was hypothesized that individuals who endorsed higher levels of openness would have higher cognitive test scores and lesser rates of cognitive decline. As predicted, higher openness to experience was associated with significantly higher performance across all cognitive tests for both men and women even after adjusting for education, cardiovascular disease, and activities of daily living. Openness, however, was not predictive of differences in the trajectories of cognitive performance over age.