Genetic and Environmental Covariations Among Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms, Neuroticism, and Extraversion in South Korean Adolescent and Young Adult Twins

Abstract

A growing literature suggests that personality traits may be endophenotype markers for psychiatric illnesses. Although the phenotypic relationships between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and high neuroticism and low extraversion have been well documented, underlying genetic and environmental contributions to these associations have not been explored previously. Five hundred and twenty-four monozygoitc (MZ) and 228 dizygotic (DZ) pairs of adolescent and young adult twins (aged 13-24 years) drawn from the South Korean Twin Registry completed the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory (MOCI) and the Neuroticism and Extraversion scale of the Eysenck Personality Scale by mail. The total score of MOCI (MOCIT) was significantly and positively correlated with Neuroticism (r = .44), but only weakly and negatively related to Extraversion (r = -.10). A trivariate Cholesky model was applied to the data. The additive genetic correlations in the best-fitting model were .51 between Neuroticism and MOCIT and -.17 between Extraversion and MOCIT, suggesting that additive genetic factors that lead to high neuroticism and low extraversion overlap with those genetic factors influencing high OC symptoms. These findings add to the cumulative evidence of the shared genetic etiology for the associations between a personality profile of high neuroticism and low extraversion and mental illnesses.

Should OCD be classified as an anxiety disorder in DSM-V?

“…Perfectionism may also be seen in other anxiety disorders and depression, although it is possible that different dimensions of perfectionism are involved in different disorders. [88] Similarly, although neuroticism has been associated with anxiety disorders including OCD, [89] it has also been associated with a range of other psychiatric disorders. [90] There may be some differences in personality disorder comorbidity between anxiety disorder and OCD, although again further systemic research is needed across these conditions as well as the OC disorders.…”

The Frequency and Clinical Significance of Twin Gestations According to Zygosity and Chorionicity

“…Indeed, the indentification of zygosity per se is of importance to the twins and their parents (Bamforth & Machin, 2004;Malmstrom & Eaves, 1998;Ohm Kyvik & Derom, 2006). In addition, zygosity is of medical importance in organ transplantation between twins and the need for immunosuppressive agents and in matters of inheritance of cancer or other specific diseases (Bamforth & Machin, 2004;Hur, 2009;Kessaris et al, 2008;Rosenberg et al, 2009;St Clair et al, 1998). Prenatally, determining accurate zygosity is of great significance in fetal reduction when chorionicity remains little convincing despite scrutinizing ultrasound examinations because of fetal crowding, decreased amniotic fluid and maternal obesity (Levy et al, 2002;Peng et al, 2007;Stagiannis et al, 1995;Vayssiere et al, 1996).…”

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Hwabyung- Personality in South Korean Adolescents and Young Adults

“…A형 행동유형은 심장병 환자들에게서 흔 히 발견되는 행동 및 정서상의 특징으로서 높은 성취동기, 공격성, 분노, 적대감, 경쟁적인 성향과 함께 참을성이 부 족한 특징을 나타낸다. 또한, A형 행동유형인 사람들은 스 트레스 지각수준이 높고 스트레스에 취약하여 스트레스에 의한 심리적, 신체적 증상 발현이 높은 것으로 알려져 있 다 (Friedman, 1996) (Kendler, 2001;Hur YM, 2007;Hur YM, 2008;Hur YM, 2009;Kendler et al, 2019) (Kim JW, 2005), 특히 중년 여성에 있어서는 남편의 학대/외도, 고부간의 갈등과 같은 가족관계 스트레스를 들 수 있다 (Kim HK et al, 2004;Kim JH et al, 2009 (Loehlin et al, 1998;Hur YM, 2006, 2007…”