Background: Previous studies support the hypothesis that premorbid personality characteristics may be associated with the risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, most of these relied upon subjective reports of premorbid personality earlier in life, which may be subject to recall bias. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the association of PD with risk-taking, routinization, smoking and alcohol consumption in early-adult life as indicators of premorbid personality.

Methods: In-person interviews were conducted with 89 PD patients and 99 controls from a university-based medical center. Associations between indicators of early-adult personality and risk of PD were examined using logistic regression.

Results: Adjusting for age, sex and education, taking or wanting to take more activity risks as a young adult was inversely associated with the risk of PD in the entire sample (odds ratio (OR) = 0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.63 - 0.97)). Among women, higher levels of routinization as a young adult were associated with an increased risk of PD (OR = 1.63 (95% CI 1.05 - 2.53)).

Conclusions: Parkinson patients were more likely to take or want to take fewer risks in early-adult life and to prefer a more routine lifestyle than controls, suggesting that individuals with PD may have distinctive premorbid personality characteristics.