People born in the summer tend to have mercurial temperaments, swinging between sad and cheerful moods, according to a new study.
Hungarian researchers say they have pinned down the relationship of the season of birth to human temperament.
Many people have long believed that the date and time of birth influence character.
The latest study has linked four types of temperament to the four seasons.
The researchers studied some 400 people and reported their findings to the conference of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology in Berlin, Germany.
This linked the cyclothymic temperament – affected by mood swings – to summer birth.
Hyperthymic people – who are excessively positive – can be born in both the spring and the summer, the researchers found.
Meanwhile winter babies tend to have a more cheerful and less irritable personality than others.
But, according to the researchers, they are still more prone to depression than autumn babies.
Researcher Professor Xenia Gonda, from Budapest, said the season of birth could influence the level of brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin.
Professor Gonda said: "Basically, it seems that when you are born may increase or decrease your chance of developing certain mood disorders.
"We can’t yet say anything about the mechanisms involved. What we are now looking at is to see if there are genetic markers which are related to season of birth and mood disorder."
Professor Eduard Vieta, from the College, said the study of the seasons gave new insights into temperament.
He said: "Temperaments are not disorders but biologically-driven behavioural and emotional trends. Although both genetic and environmental factors are involved in one’s temperament, now we know that the season at birth plays a role too.
"And the finding of ‘high mood’ tendency (hyperthymic temperament) for those born in summer is quite intriguing."
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