Restless Legs Syndrome and the five-factor model of personality: results from a community sample.
OBJECTIVE
To examine personality characteristics as potential mediators of the association between Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and psychiatric disorders.


METHODS
Revised NEO Personality Inventory traits are compared in respondents with (n=42) versus without (n=982) a diagnosis of RLS in a general population sample.


RESULTS
RLS was associated with higher neuroticism after adjusting for potential confounders, including current psychopathology. Further analysis showed that the association between RLS and neuroticism contributes to, but does not fully explain, the relationship between RLS and either panic disorder or major depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Neuroticism may mediate part of the relationship between RLS and depression or panic, but the mechanisms of these associations need further exploration.
Kalaydjian
A
A
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. KalaydjianA@mail.nih.gov
Bienvenu
O J
OJ
Hening
W A
WA
Allen
R P
RP
Eaton
W W
WW
Lee
H B
HB
D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000150:complications; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000150:complications; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012148:Restless Legs Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*