Unemployment can pose an increased risk for asthma and divorce or breaking up with a long-term partner seems to increase chances of developing the disease among women. And now German researchers recently reported that neurotic character traits definitely play a key role in asthma development as well. This summary follows a more-than-eight-year study involving more than 5,000 adult men and women. The investigators defined "neurotic" as the habit of worrying a lot or being prone to frequent emotional ups and downs. The study started with more than 4,500 individuals all of whom were asthma-free, but during more than eight-years of follow up, 63 of them (two percent) developed the disorder.  The investigators found that highly neurotic individuals were three times as likely to develop asthma as those who were less neurotic. What's more, breaking off a life partnership, such as marriage, more than doubled the risk of asthma. Earlier evidence from animal studies has shown that chronic stress alters hormone levels, which can inflame airways making it difficult to breathe. The German team suggested that neurotic character traits may have the same effects but added that the "physiological mechanisms by which personality, stress and emotions might influence the development or course of asthma are still not well known." The study was published in the October, 2009, issue of Allergy.

My take? Asthma wouldn't be the first disease to demonstrate a strong mind-body component. In essence, this study's findings are good news. If confirmed, they would appear to offer a way to lower the incidence risk and manage asthma with mind-body techniques rather than with drugs.

More information on treating asthma.