Risk factors and premorbid personality in Alzheimer disease: preliminary study. (R)

Abstract

This article summarizes the main studies of the risk factors predisposing to Alzheimer's. It prioritizes psychosocial factors, especially those referring to premorbid personality. The most important psychosocial risk factors are low level of schooling and restricted social activity and relations. Hagnell et al. (1992), Bauer et al. (1995) and Malinchoc et al. (1997) are among the leading studies of the theme of premorbid personality. The need for protection and guidance, dependence on others, restricted social or interpersonal relations and introversion are the major elements of risk that these studies identify. This article is a preliminary study that forms part of an ongoing research project. The factors that appear in the studies mentioned above are related to the project's working hypothesis, formulated in 1995-96, of the risk profiles in the premorbid personality of Alzheimer sufferers. This hypothesis situates these profiles in the field of the emotions and interpersonal relations: fragile personal identity, and ego support via a symbiotic relationship with another person.