[Relations between mood disorders and personality. Recent data]

In the field of studies of links between mood disorders and personality, the need to study only completely remitted patients has been demonstrated recently. Indeed, the clinically depressed state strongly influences the assessment of some personality traits in a more pathological direction (for instance for emotional stability, extraversion, interpersonal dependency, ego strength). The studies concerning unipolar depression have been mainly made according to two methodological approaches which results are relatively consistent. The first one uses batteries of standard self-report personality inventories such as the Hirschfeld and Klerman battery which includes the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey, the Interpersonal Dependency Inventory, the shortened version of the Lazare-Klerman-Armor Personality Inventory and two subscales of the MMPI. This approach shows that compared to normal population, recovered depressive, have less emotional strength more interpersonal dependency and a more introverted personality. The second approach uses diagnostic criteria of personality disorders according to DSM III. The clinical evaluation can be performed with the help of the Structured Interview for DSM III Personality Disorders (SIDP) or with of the help the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI), a self rated questionnaire. The most frequent personality disorder among recovered unipolar patients is dependent personality, followed by the avoidant and histrionic personalities and lastly the schizoïd, schizotypal, borderline, compulsive and passive-aggressive personalities. But the interpretation of all these results must be cautious given that a recent study dealing with premorbid personality invites one to consider that not only depression influences personality assessment during illness, but also that depression may result in personality change after recovery. Few studies are available concerning bipolar patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)