New study says summer, spring, autumn and winter babies have different personalities when they grow up, because each of these seasons has effects to be displayed in your later life.
A group of researchers from Budapest, Hungary presented evidence from their research, that the season you are born has a significant impact on your risk of developing mood disorders (such as depression or anxiety).
The researchers examined the personalities of 400 people and matched this up with the time of year they were born. Below are their observations:
- People born in summer were said to have a cyclothymic personality, which could make them adapt to different mood i.e. they could switch from happy to sad.
- Those born in the winter had a higher chance of being less irritable than those of other seasons.
- Autumn babies were less likely to be depressives than winter babies.
- Those born in Spring and summer have a tendency to be excessively positive.
According to Assistant Professor Xenia Gonda, who led the research,
Biochemical studies have shown that the season in which you are born has an influence on certain monoamine neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, which is detectable even in adult life.
This led us to believe that birth season may have a longer-lasting effect.
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Our work looked at over 400 subjects and matched their birth season to personality types in later life.
Basically, it seems that when you are born may increase or decrease your chance of developing certain mood disorders.
We can’t yet say anything about the mechanisms involved.
What we are now looking at is to see if there are genetic markers which are related to season of birth and mood disorder.”
Also commenting on the study, Professor Eduard Vieta, Director of the Bipolar Disorders Program at the University of Barcelona:
Seasons affect our mood and behavior.
Even the season at our birth may influence our subsequent risk for developing certain medical conditions, including some mental disorders.
What’s new from this group of researchers is the influence of season at birth and temperament.
Temperaments are not disorders but biologically-driven behavioral and emotional trends.
Although both genetic and environmental factors are involved in one’s temperament, now we know that the season at birth plays a role too.
And the finding of “high mood” tendency (hyperthymic temperament) for those born in summer is quite intriguing.”
Above research was presented at European College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s conference held at Berlin.
