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. 2023 Nov;13(11):e3228.
doi: 10.1002/brb3.3228. Epub 2023 Aug 22.

Personality factors in patients with myasthenia gravis: A prospective study

Berit Jordan  1   2 , Luise Förster  1   3 , Theresa Buchholz  4 , Anne-Dorte Sperfeld  1   5 , Stephan Zierz  1
Affiliations

Personality factors in patients with myasthenia gravis: A prospective study

Berit Jordan et al. Brain Behav. 2023 Nov.

Abstract

Introduction: In myasthenia gravis (MG), depression and anxiety have frequently been reported as comorbidities. However, little is known about personality characteristics in MG patients. We aimed to characterise personality traits in MG and to correlate them with disease severity and disease course.

Methods: The Big Five Inventory data questionnaire was used to investigate personality traits in 44 MG patients and 45 healthy controls similar in age and gender. In 28 MG patients, a caregiver was also available for patient assessments to limit bias associated with social desirability in patients' responses. Patients were assessed with regard to premorbid personality (before manifestation of MG) and to present condition. In addition, anxiety and depression scales (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory) were applied.

Results: Compared to controls, MG patients showed significantly higher levels of neuroticism, whereas openness and extraversion were significantly lower. Agreeableness and conscientiousness did not differ between groups. Neuroticism was influenced by disease severity such as generalization of weakness, presence of thymoma, and bulbar involvement as well as disease duration. Neuroticism correlated with premorbid level of neuroticism but also with depression and anxiety scores.

Conclusion: A personality profile of increased neuroticism and lower openness and extraversion in MG patients may contribute considerably to the perception of disease severity. It may also be related to frequent comorbidities such as anxiety and depression. Although premorbid levels of neuroticism were increased, this characteristic may also increase considerably during the course of the disease. The data indicate that muscle weakness in MG is accompanied or even complicated by psychological aspects. Therefore, a psychological and behavioral intervention in addition to the specific pharmacological therapy might be of particular value.

Keywords: disease burden; myasthenia gravis; neuroticism; personality factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Comparison of present personality traits of myasthenia gravis (MG) patients and controls. NEO‐FFI, NEO Five‐Factor Inventory. Unpaired t‐ test (mean, SD), ** p < .005, *p < .05 (p‐value; two‐sided), Table 2.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Comparison of present and premorbid personality traits of MG patients. NEO‐FFI, NEO Five‐Factor Inventory. Paired t.test mean, SD), ** p < .005, *p < .05 (p‐value; two‐sided), Table 2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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