Personality Traits and Inflammation in Depressive Disorders

Abstract

Depression is a psychiatric disorder of heterogeneous etiology. One of the leading theories suggests an inflammatory background to it. It is often found in the scientific literature that certain personality traits, such as high neuroticism, low extroversion and conscientiousness, are being associated with depression. We combined biochemical tests of IL-1 and IL-6 serum levels and scores in the personality test EPQ-R among 50 depressed patients and 37 healthy participants. The results confirmed increased serum levels of IL-1 and IL-6 in a study group when compared to healthy volunteers. Additionally, personality traits (psychoticism and neuroticism) were increased in the depressed group when compared to healthy volunteers. The authors analyzed correlations in both groups. However, only one statistically significant link was observed in IL-6 and K levels (scale associated with the need for social acceptance) in the control group.

Psychobiology and Treatment of Personality Disorders and Related Prominent Traits

“…Additionally, the borderline personality pattern appears to be significantly correlated genetically with chronic pain [58]. Overall, however, the data collected so far do not allow us to associate inflammatory imbalance with personality traits [59].…”

Unresolved Systemic Inflammation, Long COVID, and the Common Pathomechanisms of Somatic and Psychiatric Comorbidity

“…Wachowska et al showed increased serum levels of IL1-β and IL-6 and impaired episodic memory in depressed patients compared with controls [ 24 ]. The same group also reported increased serum levels of IL-1 and IL-6 in the depressed group compared with the control group [ 25 ].…”