Personality Characteristics and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Regulation in Older Persons

The findings of this large population-based study of older persons suggest that the personality characteristics mastery and self-esteem are not associated with HPA axis regulation as measured with salivary awakening and evening cortisol. However, high neuroticism may be associated with elevated levels of evening cortisol in the younger old but not in the older old.