Temperament and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function in healthy adults

Abstract

SummaryBackground-Traits such as behavioral inhibition and neuroticism have been linked to the development of mood and anxiety disorders. Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a manifestation of the stress response, is often seen in major depression and has also been demonstrated in animals and humans with inhibited temperaments. A recent study found HPA hyperactivity in adults with high levels of neuroticism. The present study investigated associations of temperament and HPA function in 31 healthy adults.Methods and materials-Subjects completed diagnostic interviews, questionnaires, and the dexamethasone-/corticotropin-releasing hormone (Dex/CRH) test. Temperament was assessed using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). Results-NoveltySeeking was inversely related to plasma cortisol concentrations in the Dex/CRH test. Harm Avoidance and Reward Dependence were not significantly associated with cortisol responses in the Dex/CRH test. The results were not accounted for by psychiatric symptoms or a history of stress or childhood maltreatment.Conclusions-These findings are consistent with previous reports associating temperament factors with HPA axis hyperactivity. Further work is needed to replicate these observations and determine whether HPA axis dysfunction might account for some of the previously reported association of personality factors with mood and anxiety disorders.

Schizotypal Personality in Healthy Adults Is Related to Blunted Cortisol Responses to the Combined Dexamethasone/ Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Test

“…All of these significant correlations have been replicated in the present study (see table 2 ). We further examined the association between the TCI and DEX/CRH outcomes, and found no significant relationships between these outcomes, which was not in line with the finding of Tyrka et al [35,36] . This inconsistency might have resulted from different sample characteristics between the present and the previous two studies (e.g.…”

“…The impacts of neuroticism [37,38] and novelty seeking [35,36] on HPA axis function have been well documented, although findings on the association between neuroticism and cortisol responses to the DEX/CRH test are mixed, as described earlier [37,38] . Interestingly, O'Leary et al [78] have recently reported that nonclinical students characterized by high psychopathic personality traits lacked psychosocial stress-induced cortisol increases.…”

“…While there exist several (challenge) paradigms to assess HPA axis function, an increasing number of studies have used the DEX/corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) test [33,34] , a sensitive test for HPA axis function that combines DEX pretreatment with CRH challenge on the following day, to examine the association of personality traits with HPA axis reactivity. For example, using a questionnaire that measures Cloninger's temperamental dimension, Tyrka et al [35] have shown that low novelty seeking, particularly when combined with high harm avoidance [36] , is associated with exaggerated cortisol responses to the DEX/CRH test. Using other personality measures, McCleery and Goodwin [37] observed a relationship between lower neuroticism and greater cortisol responses to this pharmacological challenge test, whereas Zobel et al [38] found the opposite relation, i.e.…”

Meta-Analysis of Anxiety Disorders and Temperament

“…The connectivity between dorsal and rostral anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula studied by fMRI without external stimuli also correlates with HA in healthy individuals [23]. Anxiety-related traits in adulthood have also been associated with serotonin transporter gene polymorphism [24] and abnormal cortisol response during stress [25]. …”

Association between Blood Level of Plasma Oxytocin and Novelty Seeking among Methadone-Maintained Heroin Users

“…For example, serotonin, which plays a role in emotion, might also be associated with the oxytocin system and influence NS [30]. The HPA axis system might also be associated with oxytocin [37] and NS [26,38,39]. Meanwhile, we also found that the association between oxytocin and NS is independent of social support, and this may imply that oxytocin may influence NS or drug-seeking behavior via a fundamental biological mechanism.…”