Associations between plasma glucose and DSM-III-R cluster B personality traits in psychiatric outpatients

Citation
P. Svanborg et al., Associations between plasma glucose and DSM-III-R cluster B personality traits in psychiatric outpatients, NEUROPSYCHB, 41(2), 2000, pp. 79-87
Citations number
66
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
NEUROPSYCHOBIOLOGY
ISSN journal
0302282X → ACNP
Volume
41
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Pages
79 - 87
Database
ISI
SICI code
0302-282X(2000)41:2<79:ABPGAD>2.0.ZU;2-D
Abstract
Associations between personality traits, measured with the Karolinska Scale s of Personality, the Impulsiveness subscale from the Impulsiveness, Ventur esomeness and Empathy (IVE) Inventory, and with self-assessed personality t raits and disorders (SCID-II Screen Questionnaire), and plasma insulin, glu cagon and glucose, respectively, were explored in a sample of 101 psychiatr ic outpatients of both sexes. No relationships between the peptide hormones and personality measures were found. However, fasting glucose values, whic h were all essentially within the normal biological variation, were signifi cantly related to several personality measures. For males, a low blood gluc ose was associated with low stable general level of functioning, with high IVE Impulsiveness, and with self-assessed histrionic and narcissistic trait s. High number of self-assessed personality traits for all cluster B person ality disorders was strongly associated with high IVE Impulsiveness. The re sults of the present study support the generalizability of earlier findings from alcoholic impulsive offenders: in males, low blood glucose is associa ted with an extrovert and impulsive, acting-out behavior that includes the breaking of societal norms and rules. In contrast, for females a positive r elationship between fasting glucose and self-assessed histrionic personalit y traits was found. Because no association between global level of function ing and glucose was found in women, these personality traits may not necess arily be maladaptive, as was the case for males. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karg er AG, Basel.