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Neuroticism and polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter gene

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 1999

I. J. DEARY ,
S. BATTERSBY ,
M. C. WHITEMAN ,
J. M. CONNOR ,
F. G. R. FOWKES  and
A. HARMAR
I. J. DEARY
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit and Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh; and Duncan Guthrie Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Glasgow
S. BATTERSBY
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit and Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh; and Duncan Guthrie Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Glasgow
M. C. WHITEMAN
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit and Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh; and Duncan Guthrie Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Glasgow
J. M. CONNOR
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit and Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh; and Duncan Guthrie Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Glasgow
F. G. R. FOWKES
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit and Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh; and Duncan Guthrie Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Glasgow
A. HARMAR
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, MRC Brain Metabolism Unit and Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh; and Duncan Guthrie Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Glasgow
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Abstract

Background. There is evidence for an association between two different polymorphisms of the human serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) and the personality trait of neuroticism and affective disorder.

Methods. We studied the association between neuroticism and polymorphisms in the 5HTT-linked promoter region and in a variable number tandem repeat region (VNTR) of the 5-HTT gene in 204 people aged over 60 derived from a random sample of men and women in the general population. Approximately half of the subjects were in the top 20% of neuroticism scorers and half in the bottom 20%.

Results. There were no significant differences in allelic or genotypic frequencies between the high and low neuroticism scorers. There was highly significant linkage disequilibrium between the two 5-HTT gene polymorphisms, and haplotype analysis showed no association between neuroticism level and haplotype.

Conclusions. Reports of an association between two 5-HTT gene polymorphisms and the personality trait of neuroticism are not supported by these results.

Type
Brief Communication
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , May 1999 , pp. 735 - 739
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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