title: Association between serum levels of C-reactive protein and personality traits in women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While low-grade inflammation has consistently been observed in subjects with depression, studies on the possible relationship between inflammation and other aspects of brain function are as yet sparse. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible association between serum levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) and personality traits.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, serum levels of high-sensitivity CRP were determined by ELISA in a population of 270 42-year-old women recruited from the population registry who had been assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory. Self-reported previous or ongoing depression was also recorded. Unpaired two-tailed t-tests were used for comparison between two groups and correlations were evaluated by the calculation of Pearson's r-coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The temperament trait harm avoidance was positively (r = 0.227, p < 0.05) and the character trait self-directedness was negatively (r = -0.261, p < 0.01) associated with serum levels of CRP (p-values corrected for multiple comparisons). The correlations between the personality traits and CRP were observed also after exclusion of subjects reporting ongoing depression (n = 26). Whereas women reporting ongoing depression showed significantly increased levels of CRP as compared to non-depressed women (n = 155), women reporting a history of depression displayed no significant difference in CRP levels as compared to women that reported that they had never been depressed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of CRP in women was found to be associated with the personality traits harm avoidance and self-directedness. In addition, moderately elevated levels may be a state dependent marker of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Pharmacology, Göteborg University, P,O, Box 431, SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. agneta.ekman@pharm.gu.se.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henningsson
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baghaei
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosmond
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landén
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anckarsäter
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ekman