title: Personality, socio-economic status and inflammation: cross-sectional, population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Associations between socio-economic status (SES), personality and inflammation were examined to determine whether low SES subjects scoring high on neuroticism or hostility might suffer relatively higher levels of inflammation than affluent subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional design, 666 subjects were recruited from areas of high (most deprived - "MD") and low (least deprived - "LD") deprivation. IL-6, ICAM-1, CRP and fibrinogen were measured along with demographic and health-behaviour variables, and personality traits of neuroticism, extraversion and psychoticism (hostility). Regression models assessed the prediction of inflammation as a function of personality, deprivation and their interaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of CRP and IL-6 were an increasing function of neuroticism and extraversion only in LD subjects opposite trends were seen in MD subjects. The result was ascribed parsimoniously to an inflammatory ceiling effect or, more speculatively, to SES-related health-behaviour differences. Psychoticism was strongly associated with ICAM-1 in both MD and LD subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between neuroticism, CRP and IL-6 may be reduced in MD subjects confirming speculation that the association differs across population sub-groups. The association between psychoticism and ICAM-1 supports evidence that hostility has adverse effects upon the endothelium, with consequences for cardiovascular health. Health interventions may be more effective by accounting for personality-related effects upon biological processes.
authors.affiliation: College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Institute of Mental Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: McLean
authors.forename: G David
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Batty
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Deans
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McConnachie
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGinty
authors.forename: Réne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mõttus
authors.forename: Chris J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Packard
authors.forename: Naveed
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sattar
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Shiels
authors.forename: Yoga N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Velupillai
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tannahill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D011159:Population Surveillance; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012923:Social Class
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators