title: Neuroticism in Remitted Major Depression: Elevated with Early Onset but Not Late Onset of Depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The personality trait of neuroticism is strongly related to depression, but depression is etiologically heterogeneous. Late-onset depression (LOD) may be more closely related to vascular factors, and previous studies of neuroticism in LOD versus early-onset depression (EOD) have not been consistent.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined neuroticism, extraversion and perceived stress in 88 fully remitted depressed patients with a mean age of 60 years and with a history of hospitalization for major depressive disorder. Patients were divided into those with onset after and those with onset before 50 years of age (LOD and EOD, respectively), and the two groups were compared both with each other and with matched control groups of healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EOD patients showed increased levels of neuroticism in comparison with both LOD and matched controls, who did not differ. The association between age of onset and neuroticism was confirmed in analyses based on age of depression onset as a continuous variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neuroticism may be an etiological factor in EOD but not or less so in LOD. This finding contributes to the growing evidence for etiological differences between early- and late-onset late-life depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gade
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kristoffersen
authors.forename: Lars Vedel
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Kessing
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D001008:Anxiety Disorders; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D000075384:Neuroticism; D012307:Risk Factors