title: Evaluation of temperament and character features as risk factors for depressive symptoms in patients with restless legs syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep-related movement disorder that is frequently associated with psychological disturbances. Personality traits are of considerable importance with respect to coping with chronic illness and disease vulnerability. This study assessed the temperament and character traits of RLS patients using an approach that involves the psychobiological model of personality.
  
  
  METHODS
  The personality features of 65 newly diagnosed and untreated RLS patients with no neurological or psychiatric diseases and 109 healthy controls were determined using the Temperament and Character Inventory and compared using covariance analyses. The International RLS Study Group Severity Scale was used to assess the severity of the RLS symptoms, and the Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RLS patients scored significantly higher than healthy controls on the temperament dimension of harm avoidance (HA, p=0.02) and significantly lower on self-directedness (SD, p=0.001). No significant difference was observed in terms of the temperament dimension of novelty seeking (p=0.435). HA scores were significantly correlated with the BDI score but not with the RLS severity or duration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High HA and low SD scores are the main characterizing personality features of RLS patients. These personality dimensions may be among the factors predisposing patients to development of the depressive symptoms that are frequently associated with RLS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Vildan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Altunayoglu Cakmak
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gazioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuray
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Can Usta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Evrim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozkorumak
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayar
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Topbas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cavit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boz
keywords: Temperament and Character Inventory; dopamine; harm avoidance; personality; restless legs syndrome; serotonin