Neuroticism may be associated with history of depression in the elderly

The relationships between geriatric depression and various personality traits have never been fully clarified, and their clinical significance is uncertain. Depression in geriatric patients may differ from the disorder found in younger individuals, and may also have distinctive personality antecedents or consequences. In this study 16 elderly subjects who had recovered from depression and 14 elderly control completed the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) and the Personality Disorder Examination (PDE). On the EPI, neuroticism subscale scores were significantly higher for patients than controls, while mean extraversion scores were not significantly different. On the PDE, recovered depressives had higher dimensional scores than controls in each DSM-III-R personality disorder except antisocial. Neuroticism scores correlated significantly with PDE dimensional scores for all but two of the DSM-III-R personality disorders, while extraversion scores correlated significantly with only two PDE categories. Together, these findings suggest that neuroticism and criteria for most DSM-III-R personality disorders may be associated with history of depression in a geriatric population.     

Personality traits and platelet MAO activity in alcohol and drug abusing teenage boys

The aim of this study has been to investigate whether teenage boys with mixed drug abuse differ from those with pure alcohol abuse as concerns personality traits and platelet monoamine oxidase activity. The series included 1129 consecutive 18-year-old males called to the Enlistment Center in the northern part of Sweden. A special inventory was constructed based on Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS), Eysenck's Personality Inventory (EPI), the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) and questions about alcohol and drug consumption. The subjects with mixed drug abuse (n = 96) had high scores in the two subscales of SSS and KSP related to ability to stand boredom, high scores in both subscales of EPI and KSP related to impulsivity, high scores in Thrill and Adventure Seeking (TAS) and Experience Seeking (ES) of SSS as well as low platelet monoamine oxidase activity. The males with pure alcohol abuse (n = 33) also showed signs of monotony avoidance and impulsivity, but this type of abuse was not clearly related to low platelet monoamine oxidase activity and not to the aspects of curiosity included in the SSS such as TAS and ES. These findings are consistent with the picture earlier found as concerns "Type II" alcoholism which has an early onset, is genetically transmitted, is associated with mixed drug abuse and social complications.     

Personality traits in patients with idiopathic pain disorder

In the present study, patients with idiopathic pain syndromes have been compared to healthy volunteers, patients with neurogenic pain syndromes and depressed patients as concerns stable personality traits. The personality traits were assessed by means of the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). Patients with idiopathic pain syndromes were found to have high scores on scales measuring Muscular tension, Social desirability, Psychasthenia and Socialization. They had also high scores on the Inhibition of aggression factor. They had low scores on Impulsivity, Monotony avoidance, Indirect aggression, Verbal aggression and Suspicion. As compared to depressed patients, the pain patients were much more controlled, with higher scores on Socialization and Social desirability scales and like depressed patients with a tendency to inhibit aggression. Thus, as compared to depressed patients, the pain patients had less open anxiety but the same degree of muscular tension.     

Changes in endorphins and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in cerebrospinal fluid as a result of treatment with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (zimelidine) in chronic pain patients

Both the endorphin and the serotonin systems seem to be involved in pain perception, and a significant positive correlation between the levels of endorphins and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been established. In the present study, 20 chronic pain patients were treated with zimelidine, a rather selective inhibitor of serotonin reuptake, or placebo. Zimelidine produced a significant pain relief and a significant reduction of the levels of endorphins and 5-HIAA in CSF, while no significant changes occurred during placebo treatment. The results indicate that both the endorphin and the serotonin systems are involved in pain perception and that the systems are functionally related.     

Examining for links between expressed emotion and EPI personality variables: Can low EE be faked?

We investigated whether links exist between scores on the EPI personality measure (with its component neuroticism, extroversion and lie scales) and scores on the expressed emotion (EE) measures, the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI). CFI scale scores were not associated with scores on the EPI neuroticism and extroversion scales. By contrast, mothers who were designated "low EE" scored significantly higher on the EPI lie scale, suggesting that some may have "faked good" during EE family assessment. The capacity for response biases to influence the CFI and subsequent EE assignment is explored, and it is suggested that corrective strategies may be required to deal with such biases in predictive studies using the EE measure.     

Discrimination of idiopathic pain syndromes from neurogenic pain syndromes and healthy volunteers by means of clinical rating,personality traits,monoamine metabolites in CSF,serum cortisol,platelet MAO and urinary melatonin

Summary The aim of the present study was to investigate the discriminative power of a series of variables (including determination of depressive symptomatology by means of a visual analogue scale, determination of personality traits by means of the Karolinska Scales of Personality, determination of monoamine metabolites in CSF, platelet MAO activities, serum cortisol before and after dexamethasone suppression and urinary melatonin) in differentiating (a) chronic pain patients from healthy subjects, and (b) patients with idiopathic pain syndromes from patients with neurogenic pain syndromes. Separately each of the measures gave a significant but often low contribution to the discrimination, while a combination of several measures gave a complete discrimination both between healthy subjects and patients with chronic pain syndromes and between patients with idiopathic and neurogenic pain syndromes, respectively.Supported in part by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (grants no. 3371, 4145 and 5740) and by a grant from Stiftelsen Söderström-Königska Sjukhemmet     

Personality Characteristics of Male Sufferers of Chronic Tension-Type and Cervicogenic Headache

Background and Purpose

Chronic tension-type headache (a primary headache disorder) and cervicogenic headache (a secondary headache disorder that is attributable to upper cervical spine pathology) share similar clinical manifestations, but their associated personality traits may differ. We evaluated the personality differences between sufferers of chronic tension-type headache and cervicogenic headache.

Methods

We administered the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) and the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) to 18 patients suffering from chronic tension-type headache, 19 suffering from cervicogenic headache, and 26 healthy volunteers. Depressive trends were measured with the Plutchik-van-Praag Depression Inventory (PVP).

Results

Compared to healthy controls, the chronic tension-type headache group scored significantly higher on ZKPQ Neuroticism-Anxiety and on the PVP, while the cervicogenic headache group scored significantly lower on SSS Thrill and Adventure Seeking. In addition, the total SSS score was significantly lower in the cervicogenic headache group than in both the chronic tension-type headache group and the healthy controls.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that higher scores for neuroticism-anxiety and depression were associated with chronic tension-type headache, while lower sensation-seeking scores were associated with cervicogenic headache.     

Personality Characteristics of Adolescent Suicide Attempters

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore both the personality characteristics and the symptoms of personality disorder of adolescent suicide attempters, as well as the relationship between personality variables and hopelessness in this population. Method: Two sample populations were used in this study. First, 102 adolescent suicide attempters between 13 and 18 years of age completed the Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory (MAPI) and the Hopelessness Scale for Children (HSC). A second group of 35 adolescent suicide attempters were administered the HSC and the revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB). Results: No distinctive personality characteristics or symptoms of personality disorders were found. However, affective distress seemed to be the most prominent feature in the presentation of these adolescents. Additionally, high scores on the HSC were associated with elevated scores on the Personality Style scales of the MAPI and higher (more dysfunctional) scores on Affect Regulation on the DIB. Conclusions: The results suggest that clinicians should focus most on the personality characteristic of sensitivity and on affect regulation when assessing adolescent suicide attempters. In addition, hopelessness is important to systematically assess because it appears to be related to a variety of dysfunctional personality characteristics that may affect follow-up outcome.     

Personality and physical symptoms in nonpsychiatric patients with functional gastrointestinal disorder

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the relationship between personality and reported pain and somatic distress in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGD) without psychopathology. METHODS: Fifty-six patients and 55 controls completed Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI), NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ: N+L scales), and Giessener Physical Complaints Checklist (GBB). Patients also completed McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for abdominal pain and target symptom (abdominal distress). RESULTS: Patients displayed significantly higher levels of neuroticism and covert aggression than controls. Number of words chosen (NWC) to describe pain and sensory pain index (MPQ), but not pain intensity on VAS, were predicted by indirect aggression -- and less so by neuroticism -- in females and covert aggression in males (stepwise regression model). Patients reported far more extraintestinal somatic complaints than controls. CONCLUSION: Out of nine dimensions of hostility and five dimensions of personality, only neuroticism and concealed aggression are increased in FGD patients without psychiatric comorbidity compared with healthy controls. These personality traits influence pain reports and should be taken into account when evaluating and treating patients with FGD. Neuroticism and concealed aggression are most likely markers of vulnerability to FGD and not merely reflections of being chronic ill or explained by sample bias secondary to illness behavior.     

Altered cytokine levels in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of chronic pain patients

This study replicates and extends prior reports of abnormal cytokine levels in chronic pain patients and has correlated the alterations with pain severity. In addition, there appeared to be a need to directly assess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) because previous findings on cytokine concentrations in peripheral circulation have been inconsistent. CSF and blood specimens were obtained from 14 patients with distal painful non-diabetic polyneuropathy (DPPN) or post-traumatic neuralgia (PTN). Elevated receptor levels for Tumor Necrosis Factor (sTNFr) were the most distinctive abnormality along with low interleukin-10 (IL-10). sTNFr in CSF and blood, and IL-1ß in CSF, were positively associated with pain intensity, whereas IL-10 in both compartments was inversely correlated with pain symptoms. An imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines appears to be a clinically relevant feature, which may contribute to the maintenance of chronic pain.     

Personality differences in patients with depressive illness and anxiety neurosis

This study explores personality in subgroups of affective illness. Self-assessment scores on Cattell's 16 Personality Factor (16 PF) Questionnaire were obtained from 87 patients comprising five groups, namely ill and recovered unipolar and bipolar depressives and chronic anxiety (CA) neurotics. It was predicted that the anxiety group would have more abnormal scores than both actively depressed groups, but the three groups had markedly similar traits. The prediction that three different types of personality profiles would be obtained from the two recovered depressive groups and the anxiety group was partly confirmed. However, the scores of the anxious patients were more similar to those of recovered unipolar depressives than either was to recovered bipolar depressives. It is suggested that the similar personalities of unipolar depressives and anxiety neurotics may be aetiologically important. Furthermore, the differences between the two recovered depressive groups supports the idea of distinguishing between sub-populations in studies of affective illness.     

Neuroticism as a predictor of outcome in depression

Low levels of neuroticism have variably been associated with a better outcome of depressive disorders but the interpretation of this phenomenon is clouded by the knowledge that severity of depression may itself confound ratings of neuroticism. To clarify any relationship between neuroticism and outcome, the authors assessed the predictability of neuroticism (as assessed by questionnaire, psychiatrist rating, and subject self-report) in separate groups of psychiatric patients and symptomatic volunteers with nonmelancholic depression. Depressives' judgments of their own neuroticism correlated with neuroticism scores on the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), but neither of these measures predicted improvement at 6 nor 20 weeks. Judgments of neuroticism made by psychiatrists, which did not correlate with EPI neuroticism scores, did predict improvement. The study suggests that differences in defining neuroticism contribute to its variable association with outcome and further suggests the relevance of clinically assessing neuroticism as a personality variable.     

人格障碍评估量表在精神分裂症患者中的临床应用

目的探讨人格障碍评估（PDA）在精神分裂症患者中的临床应用价值。方法用PDA和PDQ-4^＋分别对39例精神分裂症患者和80例正常人进行评估。结果在PDA中,精神分裂症组的9种类型的人格障碍项目分和总分均高于正常组,都达到极显著性差异,精神分裂症组各人格障碍类型的发生率分布中,C类群占有相当的比例,其中回避型占53．85％,强迫型占41．02％,A类群中,偏执型占18．42％,在PDQ-^4＋中,也是回避型和强迫型所占的比例最高,分别为42．10％,和36．80％,在因素分析中,采用主成份分析及方差极大旋转的方法,提取了3个公因子,它们的方差累计贡献率为63．54％,旋转前的因子距陈显示9个分量表都有中等以上的负荷。结论PDA可反映出精神分裂症患者的人格障碍共病情况,有临床应用价值。     

Long-term stability of personality traits in a clinical psychiatric sample

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to describe personality traits in psychiatric patients and to investigate whether these traits are stable over 13 years.

Methods: A total of 95 individuals who were patients at a psychiatric outpatients’ clinic in 2003 completed the Swedish universities Scales of Personality (SSP). Scores from 2003 were compared with SSP scores from 2016. Based on the current score on the comprehensive psychopathological rating scale – self rating for affective disorders (CPRS-S-A), the participants were divided into two groups representing ‘good’ and ‘poor’ current mental states, to investigate the effect of current mental state on reports of personality traits.

Results: Out of 13 personality traits, 11 showed a significant change in mean T-score over the study interval. The group with lower CPRS-S-A scores showed a significant change in T-score for 10 traits, whereas in the group with higher CPRS-S-A scores only 3 traits showed a significant change.

Conclusions: The findings support the theory that personality is changeable over the course of life, also in psychiatric patients. We do not know if persisting psychiatric symptoms halter change or if deviant personality traits cause psychiatric symptoms to continue.     

Exercise addiction: A study of eating disorder symptoms,quality of life,personality traits and attachment styles

Exercise addiction is characterized by excessive exercise patterns with potential negative consequences such as overuse injuries. The aim of this study was to compare eating disorder symptoms, quality of life, personality traits and attachments styles in exercisers with and without indications of exercise addiction. A case-control study with 121 exercisers was conducted. The exercisers were categorized into an addiction group (n=41) or a control group (n=80) on the basis of their responses to the Exercise Addiction Inventory. The participants completed the Eating Disorder Inventory 2, the Short-Form 36, the NEO Personality Inventory Revised and the Adult Attachment Scale. The addiction group scored higher on eating disorder symptoms, especially on perfectionism but not as high as eating disorder populations. The characteristic personality traits in the addiction group were high levels of excitement-seeking and achievement striving whereas scores on straightforwardness and compliance were lower than in the exercise control group. The addiction group reported more bodily pain and injuries. This study supports the hypothesis that exercise addiction is separate to an eating disorder, but shares some of the concerns of body and performance. It is driven by a striving for high goals and excitement which results in pain and injuries from overuse.     

288名罪犯中人格问题的初步调查

目的 了解在押罪犯中人格异常的情况以，利于针对性地实施管理和改造。方法 使用“人格诊断问卷”等工具对某监狱在押犯进行调查，并设置对照组进行研究。结果 研究组中的偏执型、分裂型、反社会、边缘型、表演型、自恋型、回避型、被动攻击型和抑郁型人格的分值显著高于对照组。暴力型罪犯的分裂型、反社会型、表演型及被动攻击型人格分值高于财产型罪犯。而财产型罪犯的强迫型分值高于暴力型罪犯。结论 相对于一般的群体而言，由于家庭、成长背景、社会因素的影响，罪犯中的人格偏离较为显著。     

Personality in relation to genetic liability for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: Differential associations with the COMT ValMet polymorphism

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may share aspects of genetic etiology. Evidence supports the Val^108/158Met polymorphism of the Catechol-o-Methyltransferase (COMT) gene as potentially contributing to the etiology of both disorders. To determine whether the COMT gene is associated with personality traits related to genetic risk for either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, we examined dimensions of personality psychopathology in biological relatives of individuals with the disorders. Specifically, we contrasted personality characteristics of first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia, first-degree relatives of people with bipolar-I disorder, and nonpsychiatric control participants using scores from the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Brief Questionnaire (DAPP-BQ). We also characterized the COMT Val^108/158Met polymorphism of subjects. Compared to controls, relatives of schizophrenia patients scored lower on stimulus seeking and higher on restrictive expression and social avoidance. Compared to relatives of bipolar patients, relatives of schizophrenia patients had lower scores on narcissism, rejectionality (i.e., rejection of ideas of others), stimulus seeking, passive-aggressive oppositionality, and self-harm. The subset of relatives of schizophrenia patients who were COMT val homozygotes exhibited lower scores on narcissism, rejectionality, and stimulus seeking than met homozygote relatives of schizophrenia patients and control participants. Although relatives of bipolar patients showed scale elevations consistent with emotional dysregulation, the scores failed to be associated with the Val^108/158Met polymorphism. Abnormally low narcissism and rejectionality in val homozygote relatives of schizophrenia patients suggests that the val allele of the COMT polymorphism may be associated with an underdeveloped self-concept phenomenologically similar to made volition and passivity experiences comprising first-rank symptoms of schizophrenia.     

Relations between personality changes and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease pathology

Specific changes in personality profiles may represent early non-cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Evaluating the subject's personality changes may add significant clinical information, as well as help to better understand the interaction between personality change, cognitive decline, and cerebral pathology. With this study we aimed to describe the relationship between personality changes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of AD pathology at early clinical stages of the disease. One hundred and ten subjects, of whom 66 cognitively impaired patients (57 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 9 with mild dementia) and 44 healthy controls, had neuropsychological examination as well as lumbar puncture to determine concentrations of CSF biomarkers of AD pathology (amyloid beta_1-42 (Aβ_1-42), phosphorylated tau (ptau-181), and total-tau (tau)). The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) was administered twice, once to evaluate subjects' current personality and once to assess personality traits retrospectively 5 years before evaluation. Subjects with an AD CSF biomarker profile showed significant increase in neuroticism and decrease in conscientiousness over time as compared to non-AD CSF biomarker group. In regression analysis controlling for global cognition as measured by the MMSE score, increasing neuroticism and decreasing extraversion, openness to experience and conscientiousness were associated with lower Aβ_1-42 concentrations but not with tau and ptau-181 concentrations. Our findings suggest that early and specific changes in personality are associated with cerebral AD pathology. Concentrations of CSF biomarkers, additionally to severity of the cognitive impairment, significantly contribute in predicting specific personality changes.     

Understanding personality traits from early life experiences

The contribution of early experiences towards the onset of personality disorder has often been stressed. However, the contribution to trait personality has received less attention. To examine the impact of early experiences on the development of personality, two subscale scores of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ): neuroticism (N) and extroversion (E), were used to assess a total of 220 residents of a rural city of Japan (aged > or =18 years). After controlling for age and social desirability response bias, the N score of men could be predicted by the experience of relocation; the E score of men by high parental care and low parental overprotection; and the E score of women by the experience of death of a sibling. Personality traits in a non-patient population may be explained by early experiences.     

Personality traits and disorders in obsessive-compulsives

The Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ) was completed by significant others for 26 obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. Personality traits and diagnoses were scored. Profiles indicated that only one patient met criteria for compulsive personality, whereas one quarter to one third of the sample met criteria for avoidant, histrionic, schizotypal, and dependent personality disorders. High mean percentages on traits scores were found for avoidant and dependent traits, as well as for passive-aggressive and compulsive ones. Patients with more personality traits provoked more negative familial reactions and were less socially adjusted, but they did not have more OCD symptoms at pretest. Personality diagnoses did not predict behavioral treatment outcome. High dependent personality trait scores were related to better post-test gains, whereas passive-aggressive ones were associated with poorer long-term benefits. Results are discussed in light of recent reports of personality disorder in OCD and in other anxiety disorder patients. Methodological concerns are delineated.