Evidence linking psychological characteristics to cognitive aging and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) is in ascendance. Ten years ago, we introduced the concept of psychological debt (previously termed cognitive debt) to describe how adverse psychological factors—such as depression, anxiety and particularly repetitive negative thinking—may contribute to ADRD risk. This field has since expanded rapidly.
Importantly, recent work has begun to delineate psychological risk from protective factors, providing greater clarity on their roles in ADRD pathogenesis. Here we selectively synthesize developments related to these risk (for example, loneliness and neuroticism) and protective (for example, conscientiousness and purpose in life) psychological factors and their associations with dementia-relevant outcomes, along with proposed mechanisms using the framework of resistance and resilience. We discuss key methodological challenges and emerging evidence endorsing psychological interventions for dementia prevention and support.
Finally, we outline priorities for future research incorporating psychology to advance dementia prevention. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Receive 12 digital issues and online access to articles Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Livingston, G. et al. Dementia prevention, intervention and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission.
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