Abstract
Objective: Among the major dimensions of personality, high Neuroticism and low Conscientiousness have frequently been linked to worse health-related behaviors and poor health outcomes. However, studies on the association between personality traits and biomarkers of chronic low-grade inflammation reflecting increased morbidity and mortality risk are sparse; therefore, the aim of this study was to explore this association. Methods: A population-based Swiss sample of 2,182 persons (40-82 years, 42% men) completed a comprehensive personality questionnaire (NEO Five-Factor Inventory-Revised). Circulating levels of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and levels of the “cardioprotective” adipo(cyto)kine adiponectin were also determined. Analyses controlled for sociodemographic factors, traditional cardiovascular risk factors and lifetime psychiatric disorders using a validated semi-structured psychiatric interview. The role of gender as a moderator of the personality-inflammation link was additionally explored. Results: Controlling for all covariates, higher Extraversion (β = 0.092, 95%CI 0.004-0.180) was positively associated with higher IL-6 levels, and higher Conscientiousness (β = -0.095, 95%CI -0.180-[-0.009]) were significantly associated with lower IL-6 levels (all p-values < 0.05). Neuroticism and Agreeableness showed no significant association with any inflammatory biomarker. The associations between personality traits and inflammatory markers were not moderated by gender. Conclusions: Conscientiousness seems to be inversely related to chronic low-grade inflammation as measured by IL-6 levels, compatible with protection from the cardiovascular risk. The opposite may apply to Extraversion. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms and their impact for health outcomes in the community.
Highlights
Among the Big Five personality dimensions, high Neuroticism as well as low Conscientiousness have been linked to poor physical health [1], chronic illnesses [2], and mortality [3]
Neuroticism and Agreeableness showed no significant association with any inflammatory biomarker
Conscientiousness seems to be inversely related to chronic low-grade inflammation as measured by IL-6 levels, compatible with protection from the cardiovascular risk
Summary
Among the Big Five personality dimensions, high Neuroticism as well as low Conscientiousness have been linked to poor physical health [1], chronic illnesses [2], and mortality [3]. Recent affective immunology research posits that observed health-related behaviors, which are consistent (personality) traits in a figurative sense, may mirror immune system function [8, 9] and that the immune system might control behavior rather than vice versa In this brain – immune system interaction, low-grade inflammation becomes phenotypically apparent as a ‘behavioral immune response’ [8, 10,11,12]. A person with a less protective immune system (that is the immune system might show less activity in response to external factors) would benefit rather from harm-avoidant behaviors (e.g., greater Conscientiousness as a behavioral trait) This assumption is supported by functional genetic studies, which found an association between higher levels of Introversion with genes that carry an increased vulnerability to infections [13, 14], and by a study, in which inflammatory genes were overexpressed in individuals with higher Loneliness scores [15]. Extraversion was associated with an increased expression of inflammatory genes and Conscientiousness was associated with a reduced expression of inflammatory genes [16]
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