Is current and retrospective cognitive reserve associated with personality traits in late adulthood? A study on a sample living in the Sardinia region.

Cognitive reserve (CR) refers to the brain's resilience to counteract cognitive aging and brain injuries through cognitive resources and strategies across the lifespan. Theoretically, CR is a latent construct that enables the brain to optimize performance by recruiting alternative neural networks or cognitive strategies. Although some empirical studies suggest a link between CR and personality traits such as openness to experience, extraversion, and agreeableness, research is limited. The first goal of this study was to examine the association among age, personality traits, and CR. Furthermore, this study was aimed at investigating the contribution of the Big Five personality dimensions in predicting both current and past CR. A sample of 108 cognitively healthy community-dwellers (Mage = 80.5 years, SD = 4.5 years) completed a battery of tests assessing global cognitive efficiency, current and past CR, and personality traits. Significant positive associations were found between the two measures of CR and conscientiousness and openness to experience, respectively. Finally, two hierarchical regression analyses showed that conscientiousness and openness to experience accounted for 16% of the variance in current CR and 11% in retrospective CR. These findings indicate a modest explanatory power, suggesting that although personality plays a significant role, other factors contribute more substantially to CR. In conclusion, personality traits may support older individuals in adapting to the aging process through their engagement in selected compensatory activities, which, in turn, boost their CR and promote their successful aging.