TY - JOUR
T1 - A longitudinal study of personality and major depression in a population-based sample of male twins
AU - Fanous, Ayman H.
AU - Neale, Michael C.
AU - Aggen, Steven H.
AU - Kendler, Kenneth S.
PY - 2007/8
Y1 - 2007/8
N2 - Background. The relationship between personality and psychiatric illness is complex. It is not clear whether one directly causes the other. Method. In a population-based sample of male twins (n=3030), we attempted to predict major depression (MD) from neuroticism (N) and extraversion (E) and vice versa, to evaluate the causal, scar, state, and prodromal hypotheses. In a longitudinal, structural equation twin model, we decomposed the covariation between N and MD into (a) genetic and environmental factors that are common to both traits, as well as specific to each one and (b) direct causal effects of N at time 1 on subsequent MD, as well as between MD and subsequent N. Results. E was negatively correlated with lifetime and one-year prevalence of MD. N predicted the new onset of MD, and was predicted by both current and past MD. It did not predict the time to onset of MD. All of the covariation between N and MD was due to additive genetic and individualspecific environmental factors shared by both traits and a direct causal path between MD and N assessed later. No genetic factors were unique to either trait. Conclusions. In men, N may be a vulnerability factor for MD but does not cause it directly. However,MD may have a direct causal effect on N. The genetic overlap between N andMD in men may be greater than in women.
AB - Background. The relationship between personality and psychiatric illness is complex. It is not clear whether one directly causes the other. Method. In a population-based sample of male twins (n=3030), we attempted to predict major depression (MD) from neuroticism (N) and extraversion (E) and vice versa, to evaluate the causal, scar, state, and prodromal hypotheses. In a longitudinal, structural equation twin model, we decomposed the covariation between N and MD into (a) genetic and environmental factors that are common to both traits, as well as specific to each one and (b) direct causal effects of N at time 1 on subsequent MD, as well as between MD and subsequent N. Results. E was negatively correlated with lifetime and one-year prevalence of MD. N predicted the new onset of MD, and was predicted by both current and past MD. It did not predict the time to onset of MD. All of the covariation between N and MD was due to additive genetic and individualspecific environmental factors shared by both traits and a direct causal path between MD and N assessed later. No genetic factors were unique to either trait. Conclusions. In men, N may be a vulnerability factor for MD but does not cause it directly. However,MD may have a direct causal effect on N. The genetic overlap between N andMD in men may be greater than in women.
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U2 - 10.1017/S0033291707000244
DO - 10.1017/S0033291707000244
M3 - Article
C2 - 17407614
AN - SCOPUS:34547688943
SN - 0033-2917
VL - 37
SP - 1163
EP - 1172
JO - Psychological Medicine
JF - Psychological Medicine
IS - 8
ER -