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Original

Premorbid personality characteristics of patients with ALS

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Pages 27-31 | Received 31 Mar 2005, Accepted 23 Jun 2005, Published online: 10 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

Experienced neurologists caring for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have commented that these patients commonly exhibit similar personality features. Previous research studies on the premorbid personality characteristics of ALS patients have however not clearly substantiated this observation. In the present study, caregivers of newly diagnosed ALS patients provided ratings of patients' premorbid personality traits, and these ratings were compared with those of caregivers of patients newly diagnosed with other chronic, progressive diseases. Results indicated that ALS patients were rated as significantly lower than the other medical patients in the Openness trait on the NEO‐Personality Inventory. This finding is discussed in relation to past research findings, prevailing clinical characterizations of ALS patients, and current research on cognitive and behavioral changes in ALS.

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