Genetic and Environmental Influences on the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory in a Preadolescent Twin Sample

This study evaluated the genetic and environmental structure of personality variables from the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI), in 605 pairs of 9- and 10-year old twins. There is a paucity of information on the biometric structure of temperament and character traits in preadolescent children. Latent factor models were fit to the subscales/items of each trait as a method of estimating genetic and environmental effects on true score variance, especially since internal consistency and reliability were moderate or low for some scales (particularly Reward Dependence and Persistence). Shared environmental influences on Cooperativeness were substantial. Significant heritability estimates were obtained for Self-directedness and Harm Avoidance, but not Novelty Seeking, Reward Dependence or Persistence. With the exception of Harm Avoidance, each of the scales failed to show measurement invariance with respect to sex, suggesting these scales may differ in meaning for boys and girls at this age. Edited by Danielle Posthuma.     

A genome-wide association study of Cloninger's temperament scales: Implications for the evolutionary genetics of personality

Variation in personality traits is 30-60% attributed to genetic influences. Attempts to unravel these genetic influences at the molecular level have, so far, been inconclusive. We performed the first genome-wide association study of Cloninger's temperament scales in a sample of 5117 individuals, in order to identify common genetic variants underlying variation in personality. Participants’ scores on Harm Avoidance, Novelty Seeking, Reward Dependence, and Persistence were tested for association with 1,252,387 genetic markers. We also performed gene-based association tests and biological pathway analyses. No genetic variants that significantly contribute to personality variation were identified, while our sample provides over 90% power to detect variants that explain only 1% of the trait variance. This indicates that individual common genetic variants of this size or greater do not contribute to personality trait variation, which has important implications regarding the genetic architecture of personality and the evolutionary mechanisms by which heritable variation is maintained.     

D2 and D4 dopamine receptor polymorphisms and personality

The relationship of various dimensions of temperament, measured by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), to polymorphisms of the D₂ dopamine receptor (DRD2) and D₄ dopamine receptor (DRD4) genes was determined in 119 healthy Caucasian boys who had not yet begun to consume alcohol and other drugs of abuse. Total Novelty Seeking score of the TPQ was significantly higher in boys having, in common, all three minor (A1,B1, and Intron 6 1) alleles of the DRD2 compared to boys without any of these alleles. Boys with the DRD4 7 repeat (7R) allele also had a significantly higher Novelty Seeking score than those without this allele. However, the greatest difference in Novelty Seeking score was found when boys having all three minor DRD2 alleles and the DRD4 7R allele were contrasted to those without any of these alleles. Neither the DRD2 nor the DRD4 polymorphisms differentiated total Harm Avoidance score. Whereas subjects having all three minor DRD2 alleles had a significantly higher Reward Dependence 2 (Persistence) score than subjects without any of these alleles, no significant difference in this personality score was found between subjects with and without the DRD4 7R allele. In conclusion, DRD2 and DRD4 polymorphisms individually associate with Novelty Seeking behavior. However, the combined DRD2 and DRD4 polymorphisms contribute more markedly to this behavior than when these two gene polymorphisms are individually considered. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 81:257–267, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cortisol in violent suicidal behaviour: association with personality and monoaminergic activity

Background: According to recent theories, suicidal behaviour is associated with depressive disorders that are commonly induced by social stressors in persons with a trait-dependent vulnerability. Stressor-induced increased cortisol secretion may interfere with this vulnerability that can be defined in terms of (possibly inter-related) biological and psychological or personality-related characteristics. Delineation of such trait-like characteristics may increase the specificity in the prediction of suicidal behaviour and thus lead to new approaches to the treatment and prevention of suicidal behaviour. Methods: Psychiatric symptomatology, personality dimensions (Cloninger’s Temperament and Character), peripheral markers of serotonergic (whole blood serotonin, platelet MAO activity) and noradrenergic (plasma MHPG) activity, and urinary cortisol were measured in a random sample of patients with a history of violent suicidal behaviour and compared to those of patients without such a history. Results: When compared to patients without a history of violent suicidal behaviour (n=23), patients with such a history (n=17) were characterised by higher urinary cortisol levels, a significantly lower mean score on Reward Dependence, a borderline significantly increased score on Novelty Seeking and a significantly lower mean plasma MHPG level. Urinary cortisol level correlated significantly with Reward Dependence and Novelty Seeking scores. There were no differences between patient groups regarding severity of anxiety or depressive symptomatology. No differences with regard to the biological parameters were found between patients who recently attempted suicide and those with a history of suicidal behaviour. Limitations: Limitations of this study included a relatively small number of study subjects and the use of peripheral markers to assess central neurotransmission functions. Conclusions: Violent suicidal behaviour is associated with increased cortisol secretion, a personality profile defined by low Reward Dependence (reflecting the degree of sensitivity to social stressors) and a tendency of increased Novelty Seeking (related to impulsivity and the regulation of anger), and reduced noradrenergic functioning (possibly reflecting an inability to adapt to stressors).     

Relationship between personality trait and regional cerebral glucose metabolism assessed with positron emission tomography

There have been no studies systematically investigating relationships between biogenetic temperament dimensions and patterns of brain glucose metabolism. Nineteen healthy subjects were evaluated regarding the biogenetic temperament using Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). In addition, [¹⁸F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) was used to measure regional brain glucose metabolism. Voxel-based correlation analysis was used to test correlations between regional brain glucose metabolism and scores on the TCI. We identified that each temperament dimension, such as Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, and Reward Dependence, was significantly correlated with specific brain regions. The majority of correlations were observed in the areas of paralimbic regions and temporal lobes. The current study provides evidence linking each biogenetic temperament dimension with specific brain areas and provides a promising base for future personality research.     

Mood states and personality traits.

In this article we analyze the relationship between personality traits assessed by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire, and six mood states assessed by the Profile of Mood States-bipolar form. Our data suggest that large portions of personality and/or behavior, e.g., higher order dimensions of Novelty Seeking and Reward Dependence, can be relatively independent from current mood. In contrast, the Harm Avoidance dimension covaries with mood and anxiety. Also, we analyze the psychometric properties of the Profile of Mood States-bipolar form, and discuss some practical aspects of our findings.     

Investigating Age Differences in the Genetic and Environmental Structure of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire in Later Adulthood

In this study we examined cross-sectional age differences in means, phenotypic covariance structure, and the underlying genetic and environmental structure of four personality constructs from Cloninger's personality system: Novelty Seeking (NS), Harm Avoidance (HA), Reward Dependence (RD), and Persistence (PS). Study participants were same-sex female twins between the ages of 50 and 96, drawn from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) twin sample. We examined age differences by comparing younger (age 50–65) and older (age 661) cohorts (based on a median split of the sample) and by estimating biometrical model parameters as linear and quadratic functions of continuous age. Results indicated modest, but significant, mean-level declines across this age range for NS, RD, and PS. HA showed no significant mean differences. We found moderate heritability estimates for all of the TPQ higher-order personality dimensions, ranging from 0.16 to 0.62. No significant age differences in the proportion of genetic and environmental influences on the TPQ dimensions were found. For HA, RD, and PS there were no significant age-related differences in total variance. However, for NS we observed a decline in total phenotypic variance across age cohorts.     

事件相关电位P300和人格的相关研究

目的 :探讨事件相关电位P30 0与气质性格量表 (theTemperatureandCharacterInventory,TCI )人格维度的关系。方法 :采用oddball作业和Cloninger的气质性格量表 (TCI)对 2 0名被试进行测量。结果 :P30 0的振幅与TCI的持续性、损害回避人格维度呈负相关 ,P30 0潜伏时与TCI的新奇性探求人格维度呈负相关。结论 :健康被试的人格维度与事件相关电位P30 0特征有一定相关     

The relationship of Kraepelian affective temperaments (as measured by TEMPS-I) to the tridimensional personality questionnaire (TPQ)

BACKGROUND: There is considerable uncertainty in the current literature about the relationship between personality dimensions and affective temperaments. METHOD: We compared-in a non-ill 14-26-year-old Italian student population of 1010-the affective temperaments of classic psychiatry conceived as subaffective traits [and measured through the Temperament Assessment of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Interview Version (TEMPS-I) in the Akiskal and Mallya Operationalization] with Cloninger's revised Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) deriving from the experimental psychology tradition. RESULTS: The Depressive Temperament (DT) and Harm Avoidance (HA), loaded positively on the same canonical variate, whereas the hyperthymic (HT) strongly, and Novelty Seeking (NS) moderately, loaded negatively. In contrast, the Cyclothymic Temperament (CT) loaded highly positively on a second variate, on which both Novelty Seeking strongly and Harm Avoidance moderately loaded positively. Reward Dependence (RD), Persistence (P), and Irritable Temperament (IT) did not significantly relate to any temperamental and personality constructs. At a subdimensional level of TPQ 'shyness with strangers', 'stoic rigidity', 'detachment', 'fear of uncertainty', 'reflection', and 'anticipatory worry' correlated best with the DT. 'Gregariousness', 'exploratory excitability', 'uninhibited optimism', 'attachment', 'confidence', 'extravagance', 'independence', 'vigor', and 'impulsiveness' correlated best with HT. Lastly, 'anticipatory worry', 'disorderliness', 'sentimentality', and 'fatigability' correlated best with CT. CONCLUSIONS: The data provide concurrent validity to TEMPS-I and, as earlier suggested by Cloninger, indicate that (as expected) high HA and DT are related. High NS is both related to the HT and CT, and (somewhat unexpectedly), the CT is related to high HA. In a more theoretical vein, hyperthymic-novelty seeker can be predicted to be overrepresented among those with high achievement; on the other hand, a moody, restless disposition (a cyclothymic-harm avoidant type) may engage in outrageous behavior and be liable to negative affective arousal. We submit that these considerations could shed some light on the origin of socially adaptive behavior ('sunny' or sanguine types) on the one hand, and borderline conditions, anxious-hostile bipolarity ('dark' types) on the other.     

Widespread Evidence for Non-Additive Genetic Variation in Cloninger’s and Eysenck’s Personality Dimensions using a Twin Plus Sibling Design

Studies using the classical twin design often conclude that most genetic variation underlying personality is additive in nature. However, studies analyzing only twins are very limited in their ability to detect non-additive genetic variation and are unable to detect sources of variation unique to twins, which can mask non-additive genetic variation. The current study assessed 9672 MZ and DZ twin individuals and 3241 of their siblings to investigate the environmental and genetic architecture underlying eight dimensions of personality: four from Eysenck’s Personality Questionnaire and four from Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory. Broad-sense heritability estimates from best-fitting models were two to three times greater than the narrow-sense heritability estimates for Harm Avoidance, Novelty Seeking, Reward Dependence, Persistence, Extraversion, and Neuroticism. This genetic non-additivity could be due to dominance, additive-by-additive epistasis, or to additive genetic effects combined with higher-order epistasis. Environmental effects unique to twins were detected for both Lie and Psychoticism but accounted for little overall variation. Our results illustrate the increased sensitivity afforded by extending the classical twin design to include siblings, and may provide clues to the evolutionary origins of genetic variation underlying personality.     

Stability and change in level of maternal depressive symptomatology during the first postpartum year

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated stability and change in the level of maternal depressive symptomatology over the course of the first postpartum year in a community cohort of 106 first-time mothers of full-term, healthy infants. Effects of diagnosed depression and infant gender were also assessed. METHODS: At 2 months postpartum (intake), mothers were classified into one of two symptom groups on the basis of their total score on the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D): high (CES-D score > or = 16, 46%) or normative (CES-D score = 2-12, 54%). Mothers completed the CES-D again at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum. At 12 months, maternal diagnostic status for major depression and related disorders was evaluated using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule-III-Revised. RESULTS: Mothers in the High symptom group at intake continued to have significantly higher CES-D scores at 3, 6, and 12 months than mothers in the Normative symptom group at intake, and a third in the High symptom group at intake had a subsequent CES-D score above the clinical cutoff (> or = 16). Maternal CES-D scores were significantly correlated across visits. In regressions controlling for diagnostic status and infant gender, mothers' CES-D score at the most recent prior assessment contributed significant unique variance to mothers' CES-D score at each subsequent assessment. CES-D scores were higher at 3 months if mothers had diagnosed depression and were parenting a son, and higher at 12 months if mothers had both diagnosed depression and a prior, high CES-D score. LIMITATIONS: Findings may not generalize to multipara or high-risk cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: First-time mothers with high levels of depressive symptomatology at 2 months postpartum (especially those with diagnosed depression) are at increased risk of continuing to experience high levels of depressive symptomatology throughout the first postpartum year. Implications for preventative intervention services are discussed.     

Personality of seasonal affective disorder analyzed by Tri-dimensional Personality Questionnaire

BACKGROUND: Although there have been numerous reports in personality of mood disorders, there have been few reports in regard with personality of winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Furthermore, no reports have been published concerning summer SAD personality characteristics. Thus, this study was conducted to assess the personality of winter and summer SAD using Tri-dimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) that have been used in a variety of mental disorders. METHODS: A total of 6135 Japanese were evaluated with TPQ, the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Winter, summer and non-SAD groups were classified by SPAQ. We compared the difference of personality trait among these three groups in consideration of gender, age and SDS score influence. RESULTS: Winter SAD demonstrated higher "Novelty Seeking" and "Harm Avoidance"; summer SAD showed higher "Harm Avoidance" than the non-SAD group. "Harm Avoidance" in both SAD groups was re-analyzed using SDS score as a covariate, and "Novelty Seeking" in winter SAD using age as a covariate. As a result, the significance of high "Novelty Seeking" and high "Harm Avoidance" in winter SAD was excluded. However, "Harm Avoidance" remained the significant difference between summer and non-SAD. LIMITATION: SAD was diagnosed only by SPAQ and not by interview. The state-dependency of "Harm Avoidance" was not confirmed in identical patients over lapse of time. CONCLUSION: Patients with winter SAD have high "Harm Avoidance" dependent on the depressive state that is in accordance with non-seasonal depression. Patients with summer SAD have high "Harm Avoidance" possibly independent from the depressive state.     

Low persistence in euthymic manic-depressive patients: a replication.

BACKGROUND: A previous study which compared euthymic Israeli bipolars in a public hospital clinic to US normative data suggested that low Persistence scores on the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) may be a temperament marker for manic-depressive illness. The current study attempts to replicate that finding. METHODS: A new sample of 25 euthymic Israeli bipolars in private treatment was compared to Israeli normal controls matched for gender and ethnic background. All subjects completed Hebrew versions of the TPQ. RESULTS: Patients scored lower than controls on the Novelty Seeking and Persistence Scales. LIMITATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Though sample and effect size are both small, the finding of low Persistence is consistent with that of the earlier study.     

原发性肝癌患者抑郁症状与不成熟防御机制的关系

目的：了解原发性肝癌（PLC）患者的抑郁症状和不成熟防御机制（IDM）的水平，探讨PLC患者的抑郁症状与IDM的关系。方法：采用流调用抑郁自评量表（CES－D）和防御式方式问卷（DSQ）对PLC患者和健康组各100例进行调查。结果：1）PLC患者中49％可能或肯定有抑郁症状，其中23％肯定有抑郁症状，其发生率高于健康组；2）PLC组的CES－D总分高于健康组；3）PLC组比健康组采用较多分裂和潜意显现机制，采用较少抱怨机制；4）肯定有抑郁症状者比无抑郁症状者采用较多IDM；5）两组CES－D总分与IDM均分呈显著正相关，Pearson r为0.473-0.776，其中PLC组为0．473。结论：抑郁症状是PLC患者常见的负性情绪，医护人员应引起重视，并指导患者采用成熟的防御机制代替不成熟防御机制，预防并减轻患者的抑郁症状，以提高患者的生活质量。     

Depression, anxiety and personality dimensions in female first-degree relatives of alcohol-dependent probands

A total of 136 with or without first-degree relatives with alcohol dependence were compared according to lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders and personality dimensions. Family history positive women showed significant higher prevalence rates of depression and agoraphobia, and exhibited lower scores on Reward Dependence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness dimensions.     

Association between dopamine D4 receptor (D4DR) Exon III polymorphism and novelty seeking in Japanese subjects

This study was designed to assess the association between novelty seeking and D4DR gene polymorphism in the Japanese population. The 48 bp repeat polymorphism in the third exon of the dopamine D4 receptor gene of 153 normal female students was correlated with personality feature results from the Japanese version of Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory. The Novelty Seeking subscale of Exploratory Excitability had a significant association with long alleles of the polymorphic exon III repeat sequence of D4DR. Our results suggest that there is an association between long alleles of the polymorphic exon III repeat sequence of D4DR and the personality traits of the Novelty Seeking subscale of Exploratory Excitability, regardless of racial differences in the frequencies of D4DR exon III repeat polymorphism. Am. J. Med. Genet. 74:501–503, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Personality traits as risk factors of depression and anxiety among Japanese students

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of personality (temperament and character) on specific depression and specific anxiety. A total of 541 Japanese undergraduates were investigated by using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that specific depression was predicted by lower Reward-Dependence, Persistence, Self-Directedness, Cooperativeness, and Self-Transcendence; specific anxiety was predicted by higher Novelty-Seeking, Harm-Avoidance, Persistence, and Self-Transcendence, and lower Self-Directedness. Immaturity of Self-Directedness is a risk factor for negative affectivity. Immaturity of all character dimensions is a risk factor for specific depression. The relationship between Harm-Avoidance and depression in previous studies may be linked partly to somatic symptoms that were deliberately eliminated in the HAD scale.     

医学生自我妨碍与大五人格特质的关系

目的:探讨医学生自我妨碍和人格特质的现状及其关系。方法:采用自我妨碍行为倾向量表(SHS)、简易大五人格量表(NEO-FFI)对四川省内362名医学生进行问卷调查。结果:(1)四川省医学生自我妨碍总均分为2.94分,自我妨碍现象不严重;(2)医学生的自我妨碍和大五人格在性别上的差异不具有统计学意义(P0.05);(3)医学生"严谨性"的人格特质得分最高;(4)医学生的自我妨碍与其人格特质显著相关(r=0.099~0.385,P0.05),神经质和严谨性对自我妨碍有显著的预测作用。结论:医学生的人格特质与自我妨碍密切相关,高神经质、低严谨性可有效预测自我妨碍。     

Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) as predictors of depression among Japanese college students

To examine the predictive power of Cloninger's psychobiology model of depression, 167 Japanese college students were studied on two occasions, with an interval of approximately three months. At Time 1 (T1), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were distributed. At Time 2 (T2), the SDS was distributed again. The T2 SDS score was positively correlated with Harm Avoidance and negatively correlated with Reward Dependence and Self-directedness at T1. However, after controlling for the T1 SDS score, the T2 SDS score was predicted only by T1 Self-directedness. These data suggest that lower Self-directedness can be predictive of depression, whereas higher Harm Avoidance and lower Reward Dependence are state-dependent.