Hyperthymic temperament, or hyperthymia, from Ancient Greek ''ὑπέρ'' ("over", meaning here ''excessive'') + '' θυμός'' ("spirited"), is a proposed personality type characterized by an exceptionally, or in some cases, abnormally positive or irritated mood and disposition. It is generally defined by increased energy, vividness and enthusiasm for life activities, as opposed to

dysthymia Dysthymia ( ), known as persistent depressive disorder (PDD) in the DSM-5-TR and dysthymic disorder in ICD-11, is a psychiatric condition marked by symptoms that are similar to those of major depressive disorder, but which persist for at leas ...

. Hyperthymia is similar to but more stable than

hypomania Hypomania (literally "under mania" or "less than mania") is a Psychiatry, psychiatric Abnormality (behavior), behavioral syndrome characterized essentially by an apparently non-contextual elevation of Mood (psychology), mood (i.e., euphoria) th ...

. Characteristics of the hyperthymic temperament include: * increased energy and

productivity Productivity is the efficiency of production of goods or services expressed by some measure. Measurements of productivity are often expressed as a ratio of an aggregate output to a single input or an aggregate input used in a production proce ...

* short sleep patterns * self-assurance, self-confidence * talkativeness *

risk In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environ ...

-taking/sensation seeking * love of attention * cheerfulness and joviality * expansiveness * tirelessness These features typically onset early in life (adolescence or early adulthood) and are relatively stable over time. In practice, hyperthymic temperament is often assessed with standardized temperament questionnaires such as the TEMPS-A, which measure it as one of the affective temperament dimensions.

Clinical significance

Adaptive functioning

Many individuals with hyperthymic temperament function well and excel in occupational and social roles. Their elevated mood and energy levels can contribute to career success and relationship stability. Hyperthymic traits such as confidence and high motivation are potentially advantageous. They are linked to a reduced risk of suicidal behavior and fewer hospitalizations among patients who develop mood disorders. Hyperthymic temperament appears to exert a protective effect against several psychiatric conditions. Individuals scoring high on hyperthymic temperament are less likely to experience

unipolar depression Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive depression (mood), low mood, low self-esteem, and anhedonia, loss of interest or pleasure in normally ...

, or

anxiety disorder Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and fear such that a person's social, occupational, and personal functions are significantly impaired. Anxiety may cause phys ...

s. It shows little to no comorbidity with major depression, indicating it may serve as a buffer or resilience factor against depressive illness. Among bipolar patients, hyperthymic temperament is associated with a later age of onset, milder illness course, and fewer suicide attempts, indicating a generally better prognosis. This temperament may promote greater resilience and effective coping strategies, due to the combination of high energy and a positive appraisal style.

Relationship with bipolar spectrum disorder

Hyperthymic temperament shares similarities with bipolar spectrum disorder. Individuals with hyperthymic temperament maintain an elevated mood baseline but may transition into depression or

mania Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a Psychiatry, psychiatric Abnormality (behavior), behavioral syndrome defined as a state of Abnormality (behavior), abnormally elevated arousal, affect (psychology), affect, and energy level. During a mani ...

. If a person with hyperthymic temperament experiences a

major depressive episode A major depressive episode (MDE) is a period characterized by symptoms of major depressive disorder. Those affected primarily exhibit a depressive mood for at least two weeks or more, and a loss of interest or pleasure in everyday activities. Oth ...

, their history of persistent elevated mood may indicate an underlying bipolar tendency. American psychiatrist Akiskal termed this scenario "bipolar IV" – depression superimposed on a hyperthymic temperament. In such cases, what may appear to be a consistently optimistic personality precedes the onset of mood episodes, potentially evolving into a bipolar pattern. While hyperthymic traits are protective against unipolar depression, they do not protect against bipolar mania. Hyperthymic temperament may predispose individuals to manic or hypomanic episodes. There is a genetic association between hyperthymic temperament and Bipolar I disorder, and clinically, hyperthymic features (such as reduced sleep need and impulsivity) may precede full manic episodes. There is also an association with substance use and risk-taking behavior – hyperthymic individuals may be more prone to substance misuse during mood episodes, reflecting their stimulus-seeking tendencies. When individuals with hyperthymic traits become depressed, standard antidepressant medications may be problematic: due to underlying bipolar spectrum neurobiology, antidepressants alone may be ineffective or may trigger mixed features or mania. Mood stabilizers or treatments targeted toward bipolar disorder are considered more appropriate in such cases.

Neurobiological factors

Dopaminergic influence

Hyperthymic temperament is associated with dysregulation in brain

dopamine Dopamine (DA, a contraction of 3,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine) is a neuromodulatory molecule that plays several important roles in cells. It is an organic chemical of the catecholamine and phenethylamine families. It is an amine synthesized ...

pathways. In particular, the mesolimbic dopamine pathway (

ventral tegmental area The ventral tegmental area (VTA) (tegmentum is Latin for ''covering''), also known as the ventral tegmental area of Tsai, or simply ventral tegmentum, is a group of neurons located close to the midline on the floor of the midbrain. The VTA is th ...

projecting to the

nucleus accumbens The nucleus accumbens (NAc or NAcc; also known as the accumbens nucleus, or formerly as the ''nucleus accumbens septi'', Latin for ' nucleus adjacent to the septum') is a region in the basal forebrain rostral to the preoptic area of the hypo ...

in the

ventral striatum The striatum (: striata) or corpus striatum is a cluster of interconnected nuclei that make up the largest structure of the subcortical basal ganglia. The striatum is a critical component of the motor and reward systems; receives glutamater ...

) and the mesocortical pathway (projections to frontal regions like the orbitofrontal cortex) are implicated. These pathways govern reward processing, motivation, and mood regulation. Neuroimaging evidence shows that reward-related circuits including frontostriatal regions such as the

and

orbitofrontal cortex The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a prefrontal cortex region in the frontal lobes of the brain which is involved in the cognitive process of decision-making. In non-human primates it consists of the association cortex areas Brodmann area 11, 1 ...

tend to be more active in individuals with hyperthymic temperament. Such findings support the view that hyperthymic temperament involves dopaminergic hyper-responsivity in reward networks, although not to a pathological degree.

Neural connectivity patterns

Functional Magnetic Imaging (fMRI) study identified that Individuals with hyperthymic temperament showed distinct functional connectivity in regions such as the

prefrontal cortex In mammalian brain anatomy, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) covers the front part of the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex. It is the association cortex in the frontal lobe. The PFC contains the Brodmann areas BA8, BA9, BA10, BA11, BA12, ...

anterior cingulate cortex In human brains, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex that resembles a "collar" surrounding the frontal part of the corpus callosum. It consists of Brodmann areas 24, 32, and 33. It is involved ...

(ACC),

amygdala The amygdala (; : amygdalae or amygdalas; also '; Latin from Greek language, Greek, , ', 'almond', 'tonsil') is a paired nucleus (neuroanatomy), nuclear complex present in the Cerebral hemisphere, cerebral hemispheres of vertebrates. It is c ...

thalamus The thalamus (: thalami; from Greek language, Greek Wikt:θάλαμος, θάλαμος, "chamber") is a large mass of gray matter on the lateral wall of the third ventricle forming the wikt:dorsal, dorsal part of the diencephalon (a division of ...

, and

hippocampus The hippocampus (: hippocampi; via Latin from Ancient Greek, Greek , 'seahorse'), also hippocampus proper, is a major component of the brain of humans and many other vertebrates. In the human brain the hippocampus, the dentate gyrus, and the ...

. These neural patterns were dissimilar from those of individuals with cyclothymic, irritable, or anxious temperaments, which tended to cluster together.

Reward circuit activation

fMRI research has found that individuals with higher hyperthymic trait levels exhibit altered activation in reward-related brain circuits. During anticipation of non-monetary rewards, people with higher hyperthymic temperament show reduced activation in the premotor cortex, whereas performance feedback elicits heightened responses in sensory-related areas proportional to their hyperthymic scores. The brains of hyperthymic individuals appear to respond more robustly to actual positive outcomes while requiring less activation during anticipatory phases. This profile may reflect differences in how positive emotions are regulated and processed in the brain.

Genetic factors

Family and twin studies indicate that affective temperaments, including hyperthymia, are moderately heritable. Hyperthymic temperament in particular has an estimated heritability of 21%. Unaffected relatives of bipolar probands tend to score higher on the hyperthymic temperament scale. There are significant associations between hyperthymic temperament and loci on chromosomes 12q15 and 22q13. These loci correspond to the MDM1 gene, which is involved in nuclear protein functions and FBLN1 genes, which plays a role in

extracellular matrix In biology, the extracellular matrix (ECM), also called intercellular matrix (ICM), is a network consisting of extracellular macromolecules and minerals, such as collagen, enzymes, glycoproteins and hydroxyapatite that provide structural and bio ...

organization. In addition, there are associations for hyperthymic temperament with loci on chromosomes 4, 8, 20, and 6, particularly near the CDSN and PSORS1C1 genes, which are associated with

neuroticism Neuroticism is a personality trait associated with negative emotions. It is one of the Big Five traits. Individuals with high scores on neuroticism are more likely than average to experience such feelings as anxiety, worry, fear, anger, shame ...

, risk-taking behavior, and

schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...

Comparison with related conditions

Hyperthymic temperament is characterized by a consistently elevated mood and high energy levels, distinguishing it from other mood disorders within the bipolar spectrum. Unlike Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders, which involve episodic mood swings between manic or hypomanic and depressive states, hyperthymia presents a stable mood without significant depressive episodes. In contrast to cyclothymic disorder, marked by frequent shifts between mild depressive and hypomanic symptoms, hyperthymic individuals maintain a persistent, elevated mood with minimal fluctuation. While

shares features with hyperthymia, such as elevated mood and increased activity, hypomania is episodic and represents a noticeable change from an individual's typical behavior, whereas hyperthymic temperament is a lifelong, stable trait. Additionally, hyperthymic temperament differs from euthymia, the state of a normal, stable mood, by consistently exhibiting higher-than-average positivity and energy levels.