Temperament and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in healthy adults.
BACKGROUND
Traits such as behavioral inhibition and neuroticism have been linked to the development of mood and anxiety disorders. Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a manifestation of the stress response, is often seen in major depression and has also been demonstrated in animals and humans with inhibited temperaments. A recent study found HPA hyperactivity in adults with high levels of neuroticism. The present study investigated associations of temperament and HPA function in 31 healthy adults.


METHODS
Subjects completed diagnostic interviews, questionnaires, and the dexamethasone-/corticotropin-releasing hormone (Dex/CRH) test. Temperament was assessed using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ).


RESULTS
Novelty Seeking was inversely related to plasma cortisol concentrations in the Dex/CRH test. Harm Avoidance and Reward Dependence were not significantly associated with cortisol responses in the Dex/CRH test. The results were not accounted for by psychiatric symptoms or a history of stress or childhood maltreatment.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings are consistent with previous reports associating temperament factors with HPA axis hyperactivity. Further work is needed to replicate these observations and determine whether HPA axis dysfunction might account for some of the previously reported association of personality factors with mood and anxiety disorders.
Tyrka
Audrey R
AR
Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Road, Providence, RI 02906, USA. audrey_tyrka@brown.edu
Mello
Andrea F
AF
Mello
Marcelo F
MF
Gagne
Gerard G
GG
Grover
Kelly E
KE
Anderson
George M
GM
Price
Lawrence H
LH
Carpenter
Linda L
LL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D010551:Personality / Q000502:physiology*; D010912:Pituitary-Adrenal Function Tests; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012016:Reference Values; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology*
D006854:Hydrocortisone