If your birthday falls in February or March, you may be especially resolute; and an April or May birthday may increase your chances of being a novelty-seeker. According to researchers who surveyed more than 2,000 people in Umeå, Sweden, seasons of birth may be connected with certain personality traits.
The Scandinavian scientists also linked season of birth with neurotransmitters that are known to influence personality and behavior. Among 241 adults with mood or anxiety disorders, researchers found that those born between February and April generally had lower levels of the brain chemical serotonin than did those born at other times of the year. Low levels of this chemical are implicated in depression and anxiety.
The investigators, led by Jayanti Chotai, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatric epidemiology at the University Hospital of Umeå, have also found a provocative link between season of birth and behavior. The records of 1,466 people who committed suicide indicate that many of those born between February and April died by hanging that is, by violent means rather than by less violent means, such as inhaling gas fumes.
