Being Sociable Can Lead to Stronger Immune System

Certain personality traits play a role in a person's health and well-being, a new study suggests. Researchers have found that extraverts, or people who tend to be more assertive and sociable, may have stronger immune systems.

In a new study conducted by health psychologists from the University of Nottingham and the University of California in Los Angeles, the relationship between certain personality traits and the expression of genes that can affect health were examined by controlling the activity of our immune systems, the Daily Mail reported.

Results showed that a propensity for socializing was associated with having a more proactive and protective immune systems while those who are conscientious tend to have weaker immune systems. However, researchers did not find any results to support the common belief that negative emotions such as depression or anxiety can lead to poor health.

"We can't, however, say which came first. Is this our biology determining our psychology or our psychology determining our biology?" says lead author Dr. Kavita Vedhara from the University of Nottingham's School of Medicine according to the Medical News Today.

Published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, the study analyzed data from 121 ethnically diverse, healthy adults composed of 86 women and 35 males of an average age of 24 and an average BMI of 23.

All participants underwent a test that measured five primary dimensions of personality: extraversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

The participants also provided blood samples for gene expression analysis in which the researchers used microarray technology to assess the link between the five personality traits and the activity of genes in white blood cells that play a role in immune system response. The team also took note of their habits concerning exercise, smoking and drinking for control purposes.

"Our results indicated that 'extraversion' was significantly associated with an increased expression of pro-inflammatory genes and that 'conscientiousness' was linked to a reduced expression of pro-inflammatory genes," says Dr. Vedhara.

"In other words, individuals who we would expect to be exposed to more infections as a result of their socially orientated nature (i.e., extraverts) appear to have immune systems that we would expect can deal effectively with infection. While individuals who may be less exposed to infections because of their cautious/conscientious dispositions have immune systems that may respond less well."