Personality Traits in Burning Mouth Syndrome Patients With and Without a History of Depression

Abstract

Objectives: So far, the strong link between neuroticism, chronic pain, and depression has been well-documented in literatures. Some suggested that they might share etiological factors, thus resulting in overlapping constructs. However, such effect has never been tested in burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients, a complex phenomenon influenced by both neuropathic and psychopathological factors. We aim to clarify how personality affects individual's pain and pain-related experiences. Methods: Two hundred forty-eight patients with BMS provided demographic information and psychiatric history; completed Ten-Item Personality Inventory, a Visual Analog Scale of pain, and McGill Pain Questionnaire; and provided adequate parameters of depressive state, catastrophizing thinking, and central sensitization. Results: BMS patients with depression history suffered more severe clinical symptoms and scored higher in neuroticism and less in openness and extraversion than did those without psychiatric diagnoses. After age, sex, and duration of pain were controlled, neuroticism in BMS patients with depression correlates with affective dimension of pain. Instead, if psychiatric history is absent, neuroticism correlates with sensory dimension and pain intensity. In both groups, higher neuroticism, unlike other personality facets, contributed to a more severe clinical condition. Conclusion: Of the five traits, neuroticism appears to be the most crucial dimension associated with the pain symptoms and patient's conditions. This study implies that management of pain must extend beyond solely providing pain-relieving medication and must require a holistic and multidisciplinary approach.

Keywords: big five traits; burning mouth syndrome; catastrophizing; central sensitization; depression; neuroticism.

Figure 1

Comparisons between groups of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients with depression history and without psychiatric history (standardized). (A) Clinical measures of pain, pain characteristics, depressive state, catastrophizing, and central sensitization. (B) Big five traits. VAS, Visual Analog Scale; SDS, Self-Rating Depression Scale; PCS, Pain-related Catastrophizing Scale; CSI, Central Sensitization Inventory. Wilcoxon rank sum test; *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.