Department of Neurology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany.
Department of Neurology and Neuropsychology, Ernst von Bergmann Klinikum Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
Brain Behav. 2023 Nov;13(11):e3228. doi: 10.1002/brb3.3228. Epub 2023 Aug 22.
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.
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.
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.
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.
在重症肌无力（MG）中，抑郁和焦虑经常被报道为合并症。然而，对于 MG 患者的人格特征知之甚少。我们旨在描述 MG 患者的人格特征，并将其与疾病严重程度和病程相关联。
使用大五人格量表（Big Five Inventory）问卷评估 44 名 MG 患者和 45 名年龄和性别相似的健康对照组的人格特征。在 28 名 MG 患者中，还可获得患者的照顾者进行患者评估，以限制患者在回答时因社会期望而产生的偏差。评估患者的人格特征（MG 发病前）和目前状况。此外，还应用了焦虑和抑郁量表（医院焦虑和抑郁量表和贝克焦虑量表）。
与对照组相比，MG 患者的神经质水平明显升高，而开放性和外向性水平明显降低。宜人性和尽责性在两组之间没有差异。神经质受到疾病严重程度的影响，如肌无力的泛化、胸腺瘤的存在和球部受累以及疾病的持续时间。神经质与发病前的神经质水平以及抑郁和焦虑评分相关。
MG 患者的人格特征为神经质增加、开放性和外向性降低，可能对疾病严重程度的感知有较大影响。它也可能与常见的合并症如焦虑和抑郁有关。尽管发病前的神经质水平升高，但这种特征在疾病过程中也可能显著增加。这些数据表明，MG 中的肌肉无力伴随着或甚至伴随着心理方面。因此，除了特定的药物治疗外，心理和行为干预可能具有特别的价值。
