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Dimensions of temperament as vulnerability factors in depression

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages 948–953 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

In order to evaluate the hypothesis that one set of genetic risk factors may be common to disorders and dimensions of temperament, whereas environmental risk factors are disorder specific, we have conducted a genetic analysis of dimensions of temperament and symptoms of depression in about 201 pairs of monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Dimensions of temperament associated with novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, and persistence were measured by using the Temperament and Character Instruments developed by Cloninger, and depressive symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Differences among individuals on these measures can be explained by differences in their genes and in their environmental experiences. There are no differences between the sexes in gene action affecting temperament. Each dimension of temperament is genetically dependent, and genetic variations in symptoms of depression are largely dependent on the same factors that affect the temperament. Temperament is closely associated with vulnerability to depressive symptoms.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported in part by a Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research (C) from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The authors thank Dr Kathleen M Pike of Columbia University for her helpful support and comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Center, Keio University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Y Ono

  2. Faculty of Letters, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan

    J Ando

  3. Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan

    N Onoda

  4. Cancer Information and Epidemiology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

    K Yoshimura

  5. Komagino Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    T Momose

  6. Department of Psychiatry, Yamanashi Medical University, Yamanashi-ken, Japan

    M Hirano & S Kanba

Authors
  1. Y Ono
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  2. J Ando
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  4. K Yoshimura
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  5. T Momose
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  6. M Hirano
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  7. S Kanba
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Correspondence to Y Ono.

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Ono, Y., Ando, J., Onoda, N. et al. Dimensions of temperament as vulnerability factors in depression. Mol Psychiatry 7, 948–953 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001122

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