BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the relationship between neuroticism and depression in an elderly cohort. In this paper, we describe the methods of an National Institute of Mental Health-NIMH-supported study and present findings among the cohort enrolled to date. METHODS: We used the NEO Personality Inventory to assess neuroticism, and we employed several cognitive neuroscience-based measures to examine emotional control. RESULTS: Compared with a group of 27 non-depressed older control subjects, 33 older depressed subjects scored higher on measures of state and trait anxiety and neuroticism. On our experimental neuroscience-based measures, depressed subjects endorsed more negative words compared with controls on an emotional characterization test. In addition, we found a significant group-by-congruency effect on an emotional interference test where subjects were asked to identify the face's emotional expression while ignoring the words "fear" or "happy" labeled across the face. CONCLUSION: Thus, in this preliminary work, we found significant differences in measures of neuroticism and emotional controls among older adults with and without depression.
BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the relationship between neuroticism and depression in an elderly cohort. In this paper, we describe the methods of an National Institute of Mental Health-NIMH-supported study and present findings among the cohort enrolled to date. METHODS: We used the NEO Personality Inventory to assess neuroticism, and we employed several cognitive neuroscience-based measures to examine emotional control. RESULTS: Compared with a group of 27 non-depressed older control subjects, 33 older depressed subjects scored higher on measures of state and trait anxiety and neuroticism. On our experimental neuroscience-based measures, depressed subjects endorsed more negative words compared with controls on an emotional characterization test. In addition, we found a significant group-by-congruency effect on an emotional interference test where subjects were asked to identify the face's emotional expression while ignoring the words "fear" or "happy" labeled across the face. CONCLUSION: Thus, in this preliminary work, we found significant differences in measures of neuroticism and emotional controls among older adults with and without depression.
Authors: Marko Jelicic; Hans Bosma; Rudolf W H M Ponds; Martin P J Van Boxtel; Peter J Houx; Jelle Jolles Journal: Exp Aging Res Date: 2003 Jan-Mar Impact factor: 1.645
Authors: M D Miller; C F Paradis; P R Houck; S Mazumdar; J A Stack; A H Rifai; B Mulsant; C F Reynolds Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 1992-03 Impact factor: 3.222
Authors: Timothy Petersen; George I Papakostas; Kathryn Bottonari; Brian Iacoviello; Jonathan E Alpert; Maurizio Fava; Andrew A Nierenberg Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2002-01-31 Impact factor: 3.222
Authors: J C Morris; A Heyman; R C Mohs; J P Hughes; G van Belle; G Fillenbaum; E D Mellits; C Clark Journal: Neurology Date: 1989-09 Impact factor: 9.910