Depression-related Personality Traits Research Articles

Association between Self-Restraint Behavior, Stigma and Depressive Tendency in Office Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan—Self-Restraint Behavior and Depression during the COVID-19

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to change their lifestyles, especially with respect to restrictions on going out. Forced quarantine (i.e., lockdown) and self-restraint behavior (SRB), including self-quarantine, are suggested to induce potential negative impacts on public mental health. SRB seems to be related to governmental policies, each individual’s social background and mental condition; however, no empirical studies have been conducted. Methods: 1053 participants (mainly office workers) from epidemic areas and non-epidemic areas in Japan voluntarily conducted an online survey in June 2020. We assessed COVID-19-related aspects such as the degree of SRB, motivation for SRB, stigma, anxiety and depressive feelings due to COVID-19 by original questionnaires) and general mental health status (social anxiety by MINI-SPIN, depressive tendency by PHQ-9, depression-related personality traits by TACS-22 and resilience by TRS). Results: Regional comparison showed significant differences in SRB and social anxiety. People in epidemic areas tend to refrain from going out. Conversely, people in non-epidemic areas tend to shun the public eye. Regardless of epidemic status, proactive SRB was associated with higher motivation for SRB, higher social anxiety, higher depressive tendency, stronger COVID-19-related psychological factors and lower resilience. Moreover, people with proactive SRB in non-epidemic areas had the highest depressive tendency. Discussion: The present cross-sectional survey among office workers in Japan showed that people with proactive SRB have stronger COVID-19-related anxiety and depressive feelings, regardless of where they live. Our key finding is that people with proactive SRB in non-epidemic areas have the highest depressive tendency. Based on the present finding, we herein propose the following hypothesis: Higher levels of depressive tendency may enhance proactive SRB, which may be partly associated with higher levels of stigma, anxiety and depressive feelings related to COVID-19. Limitations: The general tendencies to avoid danger and stigma were not evaluated. Conclusions: Depressive tendency is suggested to be associated with proactive SRB against COVID-19. Intervention for depressive tendency in non-clinical settings (e.g., workplaces) may help citizens understand the infectious situation appropriately and to behave effectively during the pandemic. Further investigations should be conducted to clarify the present findings.

Self-perceived level of competitiveness, tension and dependency and depression risk in the SUN cohort

BackgroundEmerging evidence suggests a possible etiologic role of certain personality traits (not necessary dysfunctional) in the risk of depression, but the longitudinal long-term available evidence is currently scarce. We longitudinally assessed whether 3 common personality traits (competitiveness, tension and dependency) were associated with the risk of depression after a maximum follow-up of 15 years.MethodsWe assessed 15,604 university graduates free of depression at baseline through a self-administered questionnaire including personality traits. Simple, Likert-type, questions with 11 possible answers ranging from 0 to 10 were used at baseline to assess the 3 personality traits. We compared participants with high scores (7–10) versus those with low scores (0–4). New medical diagnoses of depression during follow-up were used as the outcome.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 10.1 y, we prospectively identified 902 new medical diagnoses of depression. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for depression were 1.85 (1.52–2.24) for participants with higher baseline tension (7–10 versus 0 to 4), P-trend < 0.001; and 1.23 (1.06–1.44) for high versus low baseline dependence levels, P-trend = 0.004. Higher levels of competitiveness were marginally associated with lower risk of depression, with hazard ratio = 0.78 (0.61–1.01), P-trend = 0.105.ConclusionA simple scoring system of personality traits shows an independent association with the future occurrence of depression. This finding underscores, with now prospective evidence, the importance of personality traits in the aetiology of depression and can provide a clinically useful tool for gathering valid information about depression-related personality traits.

Distancing the present self from the past and the future: Psychological distance in anxiety and depression.

Humans show a systematic tendency to perceive the future as psychologically closer than the past. Based on the clinical hypothesis that anxiety would be associated more with future threat life events, whereas depression with past loss events, here we explored whether people with anxiety- and depression-related personality traits perceive differently the psychological distance of temporal events. Results showed that the common tendency to perceive the future as psychologically closer than the past is exaggerated in individuals with anxiety-related personality traits, whereas this asymmetry drastically shrinks in individuals with depression-related personality traits. Beyond substantiating the hypothesis that the past and the future are differently faced by people with depression- and anxiety-related personality traits, the present findings suggest that temporal orientation of one's self may be greatly altered in anxiety and depression.

Neural mechanisms of reward processing associated with depression-related personality traits.

Although impaired reward processing in depression has been well-documented, the exact nature of that deficit remains poorly understood. To investigate the link between depression and the neural mechanisms of reward processing, we examined individual differences in personality. We recorded the electroencephalogram from healthy college students engaged in a probabilistic reinforcement learning task. Participants also completed several personality questionnaires that assessed traits related to reward sensitivity, motivation, and depression. We examined whether behavioral measures of reward learning and event-related potential components related to outcome processing and reward anticipation-namely, the cue and feedback-related reward positivity (RewP) and the stimulus preceding negativity (SPN)-would link these personality traits to depression. Participants who scored high in reward sensitivity produced a relatively larger feedback-RewP. By contrast, participants who scored high in depression learned the contingencies for infrequently rewarded cue-response combinations relatively poorly, exhibited a larger SPN, and produced a smaller feedback-RewP, especially to outcomes following cue-response combinations that were frequently rewarded. These results point to a primary deficit in reward valuation in individuals who score high in depression, with secondary consequences that impact reward learning and anticipation. Despite recent evidence arguing for an anticipatory deficit in depression, impaired reward valuation as a primary deficit should be further examined in clinical samples.

Effects of parental emotional warmth on the relationship between regional gray matter volume and depression-related personality traits

ABSTRACTThe depression-related personality trait is associated with the severity of patients’ current depressive symptoms and with the vulnerability to depression within the nonclinical groups. However, little is known about the anatomical structure associated with the depression-related personality traits within the nonclinical sample. Parenting behavior is associated with the depression symptoms; however, whether or not parenting behavior influence the neural basis of the depression-related personality traits is unclear. Thus in current study, first, we used voxel-based morphometry to identify the brain regions underlying individual differences in depression-related personality traits, as measured by the revised Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Personality Inventory, in a large sample of young healthy adults. Second, we use mediation analysis to investigate the relationship between parenting behavior and neural basis of depression-related personality traits. The results revealed that depression-related personality traits were positively correlated with gray matter volume mainly in medial frontal gyrus (MFG) that is implicated in the self-referential processing and emotional regulation. Furthermore, parental emotional warmth acted as a mediational mechanism underlying the association between the MFG volume and the depression-related personality trait. Together, our findings suggested that the family environment might play an important role in the acquisition and process of the depression-related personality traits.

Regional gray matter volume mediates the relationship between family socioeconomic status and depression-related trait in a young healthy sample.

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a complex phenomenon that is predicted by a broad spectrum of variables and is often conceptualized as a combination of financial, occupational, and educational influences. SES is associated with symptoms of depression and depression-related personality traits. Many studies have focused on the relationship between SES and depression symptoms in clinical subjects; however, there are few studies of the neural basis of the relationship between SES and depression-related personality traits in nonclinical subjects. Thus, in the present study, we studied the neural basis of the relationship between SES and depression-related traits. The first step was to use voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to investigate the neuroanatomical basis underlying family SES in a large sample of healthy subjects. We found a significant negative correlation between family SES and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that extending to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Then, the mediation analysis revealed that the correlation between family SES, especially family income, and depression-related traits were mediated by the region of the mPFC that extending to the ACC volume. These findings suggest that the family income may play more important role in driving depression-related traits than that of parental education. They also suggest that the mPFC extension to the ACC may play an important role in the correlation between familial SES, especially with respect to family income and the depression-related traits.

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and personality traits in patients with major depression.

BackgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors. Previous studies have demonstrated lower serum BDNF levels in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and reported an association between BDNF levels and depression-related personality traits in healthy subjects. The aim of the present study was to explore for a possible association between peripheral BDNF levels and personality traits in patients with MDD.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, a total of 123 inpatients with MDD (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 4th edition) at the Juntendo University Koshigaya Hospital were recruited. Serum levels of BDNF were measured. Personality traits were assessed using the 125-item short version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI).ResultsMultiple regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, dose of antidepressant, and depression severity showed that TCI Self-Directedness (SD) scores were negatively associated with serum BDNF levels (β = −0.23, p = 0.026).ConclusionsMDD patients who have low SD did not show the reduction in serum BDNF levels that is normally associated with depressive state. Our findings suggest that depression-related biological changes may not occur in these individuals.

Correlation between depression-related personality dimensions and personality traits and its effects on depression

Objective To explore the correlation between the higher-order personality dimension(neuroticism) and the lower-order personality traits(alexithymia, dependence, self-criticism, perfectionism) in the sample of university students, and explore the effect of the higher-order personality dimension and lower-order personality traits to depression in the same sample. Methods A convenient sample of 563 university students from the two Universities College in Hunan province.These students were assessed with Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale(CES-D), Depressive Experiences Questionnaire(DEQ), The twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scales(TAS-20), Frost multidimensional perfectionism scale(FMPS) and neuroticism subscale in EPQ. Results (1)There were significant relationships between the total score of CES-D, each depressive symptoms and 10 personality factors, such as neuroticism, doubts about action and so on(The coefficients ranged from 0.105 to 0.569, P<0.05 or P<0.01). (2)Factor analysis and multiple linear regression on the neurotic showed that doubts about action, concerned over mistakes, difficulties identifying feelings(DIF), difficulties describing feelings(DDF), dependency, self-criticism and neuroticism belonged to the factor 1(the factor load coefficients ranged from 0.574 to 0.775). (3)Neuroticism can explained 32.3% variance of depression(Radj2=0.323), after 6 personality factors entered the regression equation, such as difficulties describing feelings(DDF), parental criticism and so on, the explained variance of depression increased to 43.2%(Radj2=0.432). Conclusion There are overlapping and interaction between personality traits which include self-criticism, dependency, difficulties describing feelings(DDF), difficulties identifying feelings(DIF), concerned over the mistakes and neuroticism personality dimensions. The depressed affect are effectively predicted by neuroticism which is a effectively predict factor of depression, personality traits included self-criticism, dependency, alexithymia and malajustment perfectionism have a gain function of depression base on the Neuroticism. Key words: Depression; Personality dimension; Personality traits; Alexithymia

Internalizing and externalizing behavior in adult ADHD

Although there are many studies available investigating internalizing and externalizing behavior in childhood and adolescent manifestations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, there is limited information about their relevance in adults featuring persistence of the disease. We examined a large sample of 910 adults affected with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (AADHD) for internalizing and externalizing behavior. Regarding correlates of internalizing behavior, AADHD probands showed significantly higher scores of the anxiety- and depression-related personality traits Neuroticism and Harm Avoidance, compared with reference values. The lifetime comorbidity of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and anxious or fearful Cluster C personality disorders (PDs) is elevated in AADHD patients compared with general population. Regarding correlates of externalizing behavior, patients affected with AADHD show significantly lower scores of Conscientiousness and significantly higher scores of Novelty Seeking than the published German reference values. Emotional, dramatic, or erratic Cluster B PDs were most frequent in AADHD. Internalizing and externalizing behavior notably affected psychosocial status to a similar extent. The frequency of both internalizing and externalizing behavior in AADHD might reflect an underlying emotional regulation disorder.

Association between plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and personality traits in healthy Japanese subjects

Although depression has been associated with decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels for specific personality traits, there is a little information regarding the association between peripheral BDNF levels and such traits. The sample consisted of 178 healthy Japanese subjects (age range, 37.4±11.5 years). All subjects filled out the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Plasma BDNF levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A simple regression analysis revealed that plasma BDNF levels were significantly correlated with harm avoidance (r=−0.177, p=0.018) and self-directedness scores (r=0.165, p=0.028). Our findings suggest that plasma BDNF levels are associated with depression-related personality traits.

The influence of general magnetic therapy on the psychological status of the patients presenting with osteoarthrosis

The present study was designed to estimate the influence of general magnetic therapy on the psychical conditions of 151 patients presenting with degenerative joint diseases including osteoarthritis (OA). It was shown that the application of general magnetic therapy for the rehabilitative treatment of osteoarthrosis promotes the improvement of the psycho-emotional state of the patients. It is concluded that prescription of general magnetic therapy to the patients with OA suffering from serious psycho-emotional disorders brings about beneficial changes in their anxiety- and depression-related personality traits.

PCLO gene: Its role in vulnerability to major depressive disorder

A recent genome-wide association study on Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) identified a specific association with a non-synonymous polymorphism (rs2522833) of a gene encoding the presynaptic protein piccolo (PCLO). A high percentage of patients who develop MDD have particular temperamental traits, such as passivity, pessimism, indecisiveness, and low self-esteem, which are related to the subsequent development of depression. The aims of this study were to perform a replicate case-control study and to conduct the first association study between the rs2522833 polymorphism and depression-related personality traits using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in a healthy subject sample. A total of 522 MDD patients and 375 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Two hundred and forty-six controls agreed to fill out the TCI. The results showed that rs2522833 CC homozygotes were more frequent among the depressed patients than in the controls (p<0.01). The C allele distribution showed a trend in the same direction (p=0.08). Among controls, we found that the C allele carriers were associated with personality traits increasing vulnerability to depression, including higher Harm Avoidance (HA) and lower in Novelty Seeking (NS). In particular, C allele carriers were more fearful (HA2) and fatigable (HA4), and less impulsive/more deliberate (NS2) and less extravagant/more frugal (NS3). The absence of possible epistatic interaction effect. These results provide further support for the involvement of the PCLO gene in MDD and show that this effect may be mediated by influencing personality traits that increase the risk of major depression.

Tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2) in disorders of cognitive control and emotion regulation: A perspective

Based on genetic variation, there is accumulating evidence that altered function of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2), the enzyme critical for synthesis of serotonin (5-HT) in the brain, plays a role in anxiety-, aggression- and depression-related personality traits and in the pathogenesis of disorders featuring deficits in cognitive control and emotion regulation. Here, we appraise the genetic and neurobiological evidence to illustrate the critical role of TPH2 in central 5-HT system function and in the pathophysiology of a wide spectrum of disorders of cognitive control and emotion regulation, ranging from depression to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a phenotype commonly associated with difficulties in the control of emotion and with a high co-morbidity of depression. Findings from psychophysiological and functional imaging studies are indicative of various TPH2 polymorphisms directly influencing serotonergic function and thus impacting on mood disorders and on the response to antidepressant treatment. Especially a combination with uncontrollable stress seems to potentiate these effects linking gene-environment interaction directly with behavioral dysfunction in human and animal models. TPH2-deficient mice display alterations in anxiety-like behavior which is accompanied by adaptational changes of 5-HT(1A) receptors and its associated signaling pathway. Mouse models in conjunction with cognitive neuroscience approaches in humans are providing unexpected results and it may well be that future research on TPH2 will provide an entirely new view of 5-HT in brain development and function related to neuropsychiatric disorders.

Plasma BDNF concentration, Val66Met genetic variant and depression‐related personality traits

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis, and BDNF plasma and serum levels have been associated with depression, Alzheimer's disease, and other psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. In a relatively large community sample, drawn from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), we examine whether BDNF plasma concentration is associated with the Val66Met functional polymorphism of the BDNF gene (n = 335) and with depression-related personality traits assessed with the NEO-PI-R (n = 391). Plasma concentration of BDNF was not associated with the Val66Met variant in either men or women. However, in men, but not in women, BDNF plasma level was associated with personality traits linked to depression. Contrary to the notion that low BDNF is associated with negative outcomes, we found lower plasma levels in men who score lower on depression and vulnerability to stress (two facets of Neuroticism) and higher on Conscientiousness and Extraversion. These findings challenge the prevailing hypothesis that lower peripheral levels of BDNF are a marker of depression.

Thyrotropin Serum Concentrations in Healthy Volunteers Are Associated with Depression-Related Personality Traits

Background: Alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid system at the hypophyseal level have been described in affective disorders. The NEO Five-Factor Inventory is a widely used instrument, which assesses neuroticism, a strong marker for vulnerability to depression. Methods: Endogenous serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3 and free T4 were measured and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory was performed in 121 healthy unrelated volunteers (51 male, 70 female; median age: 23 years, range from 17 to 71). Results: The TSH serum concentrations showed a median of 1.35 mU/l with a range from 0.1 to 4.0. The free T3 serum concentrations were 5.2 ± 0.7 pmol/l (mean ± SD), and the free T4 concentrations 16.5 ± 2.4 pmol/l (mean ± SD). The power of 0.4 of the TSH serum concentration and the logarithm of the depression-related factor neuroticism had a bivariate normal distribution and were negatively correlated (r = –0.337, p = 0.0002). Conclusion: Low TSH levels in healthy humans might be linked to an increased risk to develop depression.

Genetic Variation of Serotonin Function and Cognitive Control

Although it is widely accepted that serotonin plays a pivotal role in the modulation of anxiety- and depression-related personality traits as well as in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders and depression, the role of serotonin in cognition is less clear. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of serotonin in cognitive behaviors by examining the impact of genetic variation in key regulators of serotonergic neurotransmission on behavioral measures in a cognitive control task. Eighty-five healthy participants performed a cued continuous performance task (the AX Continuous Performance Task [AXCPT]) and were genotyped for polymorphisms in the transcriptional control regions of the tryptophan hydroxylase 2 gene (TPH2 G-703T; rs4570625) and the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR). The core result was that individuals lacking the rare TPH2 T allele were not faster than T allele carriers, but committed fewer errors and were less variable in responding. These findings parallel those of a recent study where an enhancement of executive control in individuals without the rare TPH2 T/T genotype was observed. Together with recent evidence that individuals without the T allele exhibit higher scores in anxiety- and depression-related personality traits, our results underscore the role of the TPH2 G-703T polymorphism in the modulation of behavior and raise the intriguing possibility that genetic variants associated with higher negative emotionality may have beneficial effects on some cognitive functions.

Interaction between BDNF Val66Met and Dopamine Transporter Gene Variation Influences Anxiety-Related Traits

The involvement in neural plasticity and the mediation of effects of repeated stress exposure and long-term antidepressant treatment on hippocampal neurogenesis supports a critical role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of affective and other stress-related disorders. A previously reported valine to methionine substitution at amino-acid position 66 (BDNF Val66Met) seems to account for memory disturbance and hippocampal dysfunction. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on individual differences in personality traits in a sample of healthy volunteers in relation to other common gene variants thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of affective disorders, such as the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and a variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT VNTR). Personality traits were assessed using the NEO personality inventory (NEO-PI-R) and Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). There was a significant DAT VNTR-dependent association between NEO-PI-R Neuroticism and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. Among individuals with at least one copy of the DAT 9-repeat allele, carriers of the BDNF Met allele exhibited significantly lower Neuroticism scores than noncarriers. This interaction was also observed for TPQ Harm Avoidance, a personality dimension related to Neuroticism. Our results support the notion that allelic variation at the BDNF locus--in interaction with other gene variants--influences anxiety- and depression-related personality traits.

The C(-1019)G 5-HT1A promoter polymorphism and personality traits: no evidence for significant association in alcoholic patients

The 5HT1A receptor is one of at least 14 different receptors for serotonin which has a role in moderating several brain functions and may be involved in the aetiology of several psychiatric disorders. The C(-1019)G 5-HT1A promoter polymorphism was reported to be associated with major depression, depression-related personality traits and suicidal behavior in various samples. The G(-1019) allele carriers are prone to depressive personality traits and suicidal behavior, because serotonergic neurotransmission is reduced.The aim of this study is to replicate previous findings in a sample of 185 Alcohol-dependent individuals. Personality traits were evaluated using the NEO FFI and TCI. History of suicidal behavior was assessed by a standardized semistructured interview (SSAGA). No significant differences across C(-1019)G 5-HT1A genotype groups were found for TCI temperament and character traits and for NEO FFI personality scales. No association was detected between this genetic variant and history of suicide attempts. These results neither support a role of C(-1019)G 5-HT1A promoter polymorphism in the disposition of personality traits like harm avoidance or neuroticism, nor confirm previous research reporting an involvement of the G allele in suicidal behavior in alcoholics. Significant associations, however, were detected between Babor's Type B with number of suicide attempts in history, high neuroticism and harm avoidance scores in alcoholics.

The power of sample size and homogenous sampling: Association between the 5-HTTLPR serotonin transporter polymorphism and major depressive disorder

Several lines of evidence indicate that abnormalities in the functioning of the central serotonergic system are involved in the pathogenesis of affective illness. A 44-base-pair insertion/deletion polymorphism in the 5' regulatory region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR), which influences expression of the serotonin transporter, has been the focus of intensive research since an initial report on an association between 5-HTTLPR and depression-related personality traits. Consistently replicated evidence for an involvement of this polymorphism in the etiology of mood disorders, particularly in major depressive disorder (MDD), remains scant. We assessed a potential association between 5-HTTLPR and MDD, using the largest reported sample to date (466 patients, 836 control subjects). Individuals were all of German descent. Patients were systematically recruited from consecutive inpatient admissions. Control subjects were drawn from random lists of the local Census Bureau and screened for psychiatric disorders. The short allele of 5-HTTLPR was significantly more frequent in patients than in control subjects (45.5% vs. 39.9%; p = .006; odds ratio = 1.26). These results support an involvement of 5-HTTLPR in the etiology of MDD. They also demonstrate that the detection of small genetic effects requires very large and homogenous samples.

Association of a functional BDNF polymorphism and anxiety-related personality traits

Converging lines of evidence point to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a factor in the pathophysiology of depression. Recently, it was shown that the Val allele of the BDNF Val66Met substitution polymorphism showed a significant association with higher mean neuroticism scores of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) in healthy subjects, and previous studies suggested the Val allele to be increased in bipolar disorder families. The association to anxiety-related traits has not been investigated so far. We tested a total of 343 unrelated subjects of German descent (171 male, 172 female, age: 39.0+/-14.6 years) who were carefully screened for psychiatric health. The self-ratable State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), which allows anxiety to be quantified as a comparatively stable personality trait, and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) was applied. In the trait-related anxiety score, a significant (F=3.2, df=2, p<0.042) effect of the genotype was observed with higher levels of trait anxiety in Val/Val (35.0+/-7.4) compared to Val/Met (33.4+/-6.5) and Met/Met (32.0+/-4.6) genotypes. The NEO neuroticism scores were also higher in Val/Val (29.5+/-7.0) than in Val/Met (28.4+/-6.5) or Met/Met (26.8+/-5.8) genotype, but not at a significant rate. Our findings support the hypothesis that anxiety- and depression-related personality traits are associated with the BDNF polymorphism although the explained variance is low.