Bibliography
Every source behind this
All 134 papers, reviews and datasets used to build this test — each one listed with the specific claim it supports, rather than just a title.
How to read this
Inclusion here means a source informed the design. It does not mean the finding is settled: several entries are listed precisely because they failed to replicate, and the evidence page grades each claim.
The Braverman test
- Braverman Assessment Part 1 & 2Braverman Assessment Part 1 & 2
- Bravermantest.com FAQ (tie-break, 35+ dominance, 10–15 gap)Bravermantest.com FAQ (tie-break, 35+ dominance, 10–15 gap)
- Bravermantest.netBravermantest.net
- Holistic Help, neurotransmitter testing validityHolistic Help, neurotransmitter testing validity
- Outliyr overviewOutliyr overview
- Part 2 Defining your DeficienciesPart 2 Defining your Deficiencies
- Results/interpretation and supplement tablesResults/interpretation and supplement tables
- STARS Braverman AssessmentSTARS Braverman Assessment
Neurotransmitters and personality
- Individual variability in receptor density (2026)Individual variability in receptor density (2026)
- 2024 personality GWAS (Nature Human Behaviour)2024 personality GWAS (Nature Human Behaviour)
- Høgsted et al. 2023, 5-HT2A and neuroticism replicationHøgsted et al. 2023, 5-HT2A and neuroticism replication
- Hansen et al. 2022, receptor atlasHansen et al. 2022, receptor atlas
- μ-opioid receptors and attachment (2020)μ-opioid receptors and attachment (2020)
- Castrellon et al. 2019, dopamine and discounting in clinical groups but not healthy adultsCastrellon et al. 2019, dopamine and discounting in clinical groups but not healthy adults
- GWAS personality six loci (Nature Genetics 2016)GWAS personality six loci (Nature Genetics 2016)
- μ-opioid receptors and attachment (2015)μ-opioid receptors and attachment (2015)
- DeYoung 2013, dopamine and personalityDeYoung, 2013, "The neuromodulator of exploration" (Frontiers in Human Neuroscience)
- Munafò et al. 2008, DRD4 meta-analysisMunafò et al., 2008, DRD4 meta-analysis
- Sen et al. 2004, 5-HTTLPR meta-analysisSen et al. 2004, 5-HTTLPR meta-analysis
- Leyton et al. 2002, amphetamine dopamine release and novelty seekingLeyton et al. 2002, amphetamine dopamine release and novelty seeking
- 5-HT1A and self-transcendence, replication5-HT1A and self-transcendence, replication
- 5-HT4 receptor and neuroticism, null5-HT4 receptor and neuroticism, null
- ACC glutamate and trait anxietyACC glutamate and trait anxiety
- Cimbi databaseCimbi database
- D1 receptor and social behavior, failed replicationD1 receptor and social behavior, failed replication
- D2/3 receptors and impulsivity in methamphetamine dependenceD2/3 receptors and impulsivity in methamphetamine dependence
- D2/3 receptors and traits in striatal subregionsD2/3 receptors and traits in striatal subregions
- MRS, glutamate/GABA in neuropsychologyMRS, glutamate/GABA in neuropsychology
- Neuroticism and 5-HT1A receptorsNeuroticism and 5-HT1A receptors
- Neurotransmitter gene polymorphisms and personality, review of single-gene studies and GWASNeurotransmitter gene polymorphisms and personality, review of single-gene studies and GWAS
- Nicotinic receptors and harm avoidanceNicotinic receptors and harm avoidance
- Norepinephrine and personality (theoretical)Norepinephrine and personality (theoretical)
- Opioid system and human emotions (review)Opioid system and human emotions (review)
- Prefrontal glutamine and neuroticismPrefrontal glutamine and neuroticism
- Receptor atlas data and codeReceptor atlas data and code
- Social anxiety disorder, GABA/Glx pilotSocial anxiety disorder, GABA/Glx pilot
Drugs, hormones and behaviour
- Geniole et al. 2020, testosterone and aggression meta-analysisGeniole et al. 2020, testosterone and aggression meta-analysis
- Stern et al. 2020, ovulatory shifts in preferences for men's behaviorsStern et al. 2020, ovulatory shifts in preferences for men's behaviors
- Dekkers et al. 2019, dual-hormone meta-analysisDekkers et al. 2019, dual-hormone meta-analysis
- Erritzoe et al. 2018, psilocybin therapy and personalityErritzoe et al. 2018, psilocybin therapy and personality
- PMDD, ovarian suppression and add-back (AJP 2017)PMDD, ovarian suppression and add-back (AJP 2017)
- Ranehill et al. 2015, power posing replicationRanehill et al. 2015, power posing replication
- Duke et al. 2013, serotonin-aggression meta-analysis (175 samples)Duke et al. 2013, serotonin-aggression meta-analysis (175 samples)
- Treadway et al. 2012, dopamine and effortTreadway et al. 2012, dopamine and effort
- MacLean et al. 2011, psilocybin and opennessMacLean et al. 2011, psilocybin and openness
- Tang et al. 2009, paroxetine and personalityTang et al. 2009, paroxetine and personality change
- Acute tryptophan depletion and reactive aggressionAcute tryptophan depletion and reactive aggression
- Cortisol and motivated decision-makingCortisol and motivated decision-making
- DOMINION study, impulse control disorders in Parkinson'sDOMINION study, impulse control disorders in Parkinson's
- Dopamine agonists and ICDsDopamine agonists and ICDs
- Exogenous testosterone and reactivity to provocationExogenous testosterone and reactivity to provocation
- Ghrelin and negative feedback sensitivity (RCT)Ghrelin and negative feedback sensitivity (RCT)
- Ghrelin increases motivation to eat without changing palatabilityGhrelin increases motivation to eat without changing palatability
- Ghrelin, leptin and neural food-cue reactivityGhrelin, leptin and neural food-cue reactivity
- Ghrelin/GLP-1 and food rewardGhrelin/GLP-1 and food reward
- Hydrocortisone and forgetting of a trauma-like eventHydrocortisone and forgetting of a trauma-like event
- Hydrocortisone and metacognitionHydrocortisone and metacognition
- ICDs in Parkinson's, epidemiology and mechanismsICDs in Parkinson's, epidemiology and mechanisms
- Longitudinal evaluation of ovulatory cycle shiftsLongitudinal evaluation of ovulatory cycle shifts
- Noradrenaline vs cortisol on working memory and riskNoradrenaline vs cortisol on working memory and risk
- Oxytocin and social cognition, meta-analysisOxytocin and social cognition, meta-analysis
- Oxytocin and trust, registered report with equivalence testingOxytocin and trust, registered report with equivalence testing
- Psilocybin vs escitalopram, personality changePsilocybin vs escitalopram, personality change
- Psilocybin-assisted therapy in alcohol use disorder, personalityPsilocybin-assisted therapy in alcohol use disorder, personality
- Replication and extension of differential ovarian-steroid effectsReplication and extension of differential ovarian-steroid effects
- Semaglutide for alcohol use disorder (phase 2 RCT)Semaglutide for alcohol use disorder (phase 2 RCT)
- Semaglutide in AUD with obesity (Lancet RCT)Semaglutide in AUD with obesity (Lancet RCT)
- Single-dose testosterone RCTs, competition and riskSingle-dose testosterone RCTs, competition and risk
- Skovlund et al., hormonal contraception and depression (JAMA Psychiatry)Skovlund et al., hormonal contraception and depression (JAMA Psychiatry)
- Steroid metabolome in PMDDSteroid metabolome in PMDD
- Subclinical hypothyroidism and depression meta-analysisSubclinical hypothyroidism and depression meta-analysis
- Testosterone and risk aversion, meta-analytic reviewTestosterone and risk aversion, meta-analytic review
- Tryptophan depletion and prefrontal-amygdala connectivityTryptophan depletion and prefrontal-amygdala connectivity
- Updated meta-analysisUpdated meta-analysis
Setpoints you can actually check
- Dopamine hypothesis for ADHD, 2024 evaluationDopamine hypothesis for ADHD, 2024 evaluation
- B12 and cognition/depression meta-analysisB12 and cognition/depression meta-analysis
- B12 deficiency, neurological sequelae and trial evidenceB12 deficiency, neurological sequelae and trial evidence
- CAH and sex-typical play behavior, meta-analysisCAH and sex-typical play behavior, meta-analysis
- CYP1A2 and caffeine effects on cognitionCYP1A2 and caffeine effects on cognition
- CYP1A2 genotype, ergogenic effects and moodCYP1A2 genotype, ergogenic effects and mood
- Ferric carboxymaltose in non-anemic iron deficiency with RLS (RCT)Ferric carboxymaltose in non-anemic iron deficiency with RLS (RCT)
- HSP scale factor structure and personalityHSP scale factor structure and personality
- Iron supplementation, fatigue and RLS in blood donorsIron supplementation, fatigue and RLS in blood donors
- MCTQ vs wrist actigraphyMCTQ vs wrist actigraphy
- MCTQ/MEQ vs DLMO concordanceMCTQ/MEQ vs DLMO concordance
- MEQ/MCTQ compared to DLMOMEQ/MCTQ compared to DLMO
- Personality and CAHPersonality and CAH
- Self-report vs observed alcohol flushing and ALDH2 genotypeSelf-report vs observed alcohol flushing and ALDH2 genotype
- SPS and reactivity to daily eventsSPS and reactivity to daily events
- SPS, health, and differential susceptibilitySPS, health, and differential susceptibility
- Striatal DAT in ADHD, meta-analysis (medication confound)Striatal DAT in ADHD, meta-analysis (medication confound)
- Testosterone therapy and aggression constructs in trans men, systematic reviewTestosterone therapy and aggression constructs in trans men, systematic review
- Testosterone therapy and personality traits in trans menTestosterone therapy and personality traits in trans men
- Validation of alcohol flushing questionnairesAlcohol flushing questionnaire validation (sensitivity/specificity)
Traits that run into clinical territory
- Haslam 2003, categorical vs dimensional modelsHaslam 2003, categorical vs dimensional models
- Affective temperaments in bipolar disorder (TEMPS)Affective temperaments in bipolar disorder (TEMPS)
- AQ factor models, two large samplesAQ factor models, two large samples
- AQ factor structure and criterion validityAQ factor structure and criterion validity
- Autism traits dimensionality in the general populationAutism traits dimensionality in the general population
- Broader autism phenotype via AQBroader autism phenotype via AQ
- Continuum model of the psychosis phenotypeContinuum model of the psychosis phenotype
- Haslam et al., taxometric meta-analysis (dimensions over categories)Haslam et al., taxometric meta-analysis (dimensions over categories)
- HiTOP and neurobiological substrates, systematic reviewHiTOP and neurobiological substrates, systematic review
- HiTOP dimensional alternative (APA)HiTOP dimensional alternative (APA)
- HiTOP structure and functional outcomesHiTOP structure and functional outcomes
- HiTOP: a quantitative nosology based on consensus of evidenceHiTOP: a quantitative nosology based on consensus of evidence
- HPS and temperament scales, 23-year follow-upHPS and temperament scales, 23-year follow-up
- HPS short form psychometricsHPS short form psychometrics
- O-LIFE and psychotogenic experiencesO-LIFE and psychotogenic experiences
- PID-5 structure and trait continuityPID-5 structure and trait continuity
- PID-5-BF (APA PDF)PID-5-BF (APA PDF)
- PID-5-SF psychometrics and Big Five associationsPID-5-SF psychometrics and Big Five associations
- Schizotypy predictive validity, 8-year multiwave studySchizotypy predictive validity, 8-year multiwave study
- Type A and coronary heart disease, the hostility factorType A and coronary heart disease, the hostility factor
Frameworks that came before
- Fisher et al., 2015, "Four broad temperament dimensions" (Frontiers in Psychology)Fisher et al., 2015, "Four broad temperament dimensions" (Frontiers in Psychology)
- Brown et al., 2013, "Neural Correlates of Four Broad Temperament Dimensions" (PLOS One)Brown et al., 2013, "Neural Correlates of Four Broad Temperament Dimensions" (PLOS One)
- Braverman & Blum, 2003, P300 latencyBraverman & Blum, 2003, P300 latency
- Blum, Braverman et al., Reward Deficiency SyndromeBlum, Braverman et al., Reward Deficiency Syndrome
- Cloninger's psychobiological model (APA Dictionary)Cloninger's psychobiological model (APA Dictionary)
- Dopamine and novelty seeking, neuroendocrine studyDopamine and novelty seeking, neuroendocrine study
- GWAS of Cloninger temperament scalesGWAS of Cloninger temperament scales
- Striatal DAT asymmetry and TCI traitsStriatal DAT asymmetry and TCI traits
Measurement and its limits
- Anti-inflammatory treatment in depressed patients with elevated inflammation (AJP meta-analysis)Anti-inflammatory treatment in depressed patients with elevated inflammation (AJP meta-analysis)
- Decoupling personality and acute psychiatric symptomsDecoupling personality and acute psychiatric symptoms
- Inflammatory markers as predictors of antidepressant response (meta-analysis)Inflammatory markers as predictors of antidepressant response (meta-analysis)
- Influence of depressive state features on trait measurementInfluence of depressive state features on trait measurement
- Informant vs self report internal consistencyInformant vs self report internal consistency
- OSA, depression and cognitive impairmentOSA, depression and cognitive impairment
- Self-other agreement meta-analysis (N≈33,000)Self-other agreement meta-analysis (N≈33,000)
- Self-other knowledge asymmetries in personality pathologySelf-other knowledge asymmetries in personality pathology
- Self-Other Knowledge Asymmetry extended to pathological traitsSelf-Other Knowledge Asymmetry extended to pathological traits
- STOP-Bang narrative review (thresholds, sensitivity/specificity)STOP-Bang narrative review (thresholds, sensitivity/specificity)
- STOP-Bang plus Epworth for specificitySTOP-Bang plus Epworth for specificity
- Stratifying the inflamed endotype in difficult-to-treat depressionStratifying the inflamed endotype in difficult-to-treat depression