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In Japan, there have been no examinations of tinnitus with respect to personality traits, and only a few studies have investigated sleep disorders in tinnitus. Understanding the association between these can aid in selecting and developing effective treatment options for patients with tinnitus. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between tinnitus severity, personality, and sleep disorders, in patients with chronic tinnitus in Japan. We retrospectively evaluated the personality factors of 56 patients presenting with tinnitus using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), which examines five personality characteristics, including Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. We evaluated tinnitus severity, sleep disorders, depression, and anxiety using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. Neuroticism and tinnitus severity were positively correlated (r = 0.548, p < 0.001). Sleep disorders were observed in 73.2% of patients; however, there was no correlation between the PSQI score and tinnitus severity or between PSQI score and scores of the five NEO-FFI items. Sleep disorders are frequently experienced by patients with chronic tinnitus, regardless of tinnitus severity or personality. Understanding the relationship between personality and tinnitus severity could lead to better management of tinnitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between the personality trait of openness and subsequent intellectual change in Japanese middle age and later adulthood. Subjects (N =1,591) comprised the second and fifth wave participants of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA). Openness was assessed using the NEO Five Factor Inventory, and intelligence was assessed with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised Short Forms. Repeated measures Analysis of Variance revealed that elderly people who are more open at the time of the baseline measurement maintained their level of 'Information' test score for six years, whereas elderly who were less open showed a decline in their scores. The longitudinal association between openness and the 'Information' score was not found among middle-aged adults. On the other hand, in both age groups openness was cross-sectionally associated with 'Similarities,' 'Picture Completion,' and 'Digit Symbol' tests scores, but not subsequently with intellectual change. These results suggest that openness may explain individual differences in adult intelligence, and that especially among the elderly higher levels of openness may be helpful for maintaining higher levels of general factual knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the shortened version of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory in the general population of Japan. Prediction of scores on the General Health Questionnaire by the Neuroticism scale score; Support for the theoretical structure of personality by factor analysis.

Personality is one of the fundamental factors in determining longevity. We used a 14-year mortality surveillance to investigate the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and all-cause mortality among older adults dwelling in a Japanese community. Individuals over 65 years old (484 males and 743 females) were recruited for the study. We used the NEO Five-Factor Inventory to assess the Big Five personality traits: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. During the follow-up period, 502 persons (250 men and 252 women) had died. Cox proportional hazards regression controlling for covariates showed that extraversion (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.783, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.636 to 0.965 and HR = 0.757, 95% CI = 0.607 to 0.944 for the middle and highest tertiles, respectively), openness (HR = 0.768, 95% CI = 0.608 to 0.969 for the highest tertile), and conscientiousness (HR = 0.745, 95% CI = 0.607 to 0.913 and HR = 0.667, 95% CI = 0.530 to 0.840 for the middle and highest tertiles, respectively) were inversely associated with mortality when the five traits were analyzed separately. Our findings suggest that older adults who have a higher level of either extraversion, openness, or conscientiousness are more likely to live longer.