Affective temperamental profiles are associated with white matter hyperintensity and suicidal risk in patients with mood disorders.
BACKGROUND
Patients with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) may be at higher risk for affective disorders and suicide. Affective temperaments may play a significant role in mood disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the eventual association between WMH, affective temperaments and suicidal behaviour in major affective disorder.


METHODS
A total of 318 patients with major affective disorders were consecutively admitted as psychiatric inpatient. A total of 247 were included and given, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS(17)), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-A).


RESULTS
A total of 48% of patients had periventricular WMH (PWMH) and 39% of them had deep WMH (DWMH). Patients with higher dysthymia and lower hyperthymia (H-DCIA group) were more likely to have higher BHS scores (BHS≥9=77% vs. 52%; p>0.001), more WMH (46% vs. 29%; χ(2)(n=3)=9.90; p<0.05), higher MINI suicidal risk (54% vs. 42%; p<0.05), and more recent suicide attempts (24% vs. 14%; p<0.05), than patients with higher hyperthymia and lower dysthymia (H-H group).


CONCLUSIONS
The small sample size did not allow the generalization of the present findings.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences among temperament groups measured by the TEMPS-A are associated with differences in their MRIs, indicating that different temperament profiles are associated with differences in the subcortical structures of the brain. The implications of the results were discussed.
Serafini
Gianluca
G
Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Functions-Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. gianluca.serafini@uniroma1.it
Pompili
Maurizio
M
Innamorati
Marco
M
Fusar-Poli
Paolo
P
Akiskal
Hagop S
HS
Rihmer
Zoltan
Z
Lester
David
D
Romano
Andrea
A
de Oliveira
Irismar Reis
IR
Strusi
Leonardo
L
Ferracuti
Stefano
S
Girardi
Paolo
P
Tatarelli
Roberto
R
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013694:Temperament