Association and linkage of anxiety-related traits with a functional polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene regulatory region in Israeli sibling pairs.
A functional polymorphism in the regulatory region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) has been reported to be both associated and linked to anxiety-related personality measures, although other studies have not replicated these findings. The current study examines both association and linkage of the gene to two major anxiety-related personality measures, the harm avoidance scale on the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and the neuroticism scale of the NEO-PI-R, in a sample of 148 Israeli subjects comprising 74 same-sex sibling pairs. We replicated the reported association between the short allele and higher scores on the TPQ harm avoidance scale (P = 0.03), including the subscale of shyness (P = 0.02), and also found association in the same direction between the short allele and the NEO-PI-R neuroticism subscales of anxiety (P = 0.03) and depression (P = 0.04). Sib-pair linkage analysis, using the regression method, further supported a role of the 5-HTTLPR in anxiety-related personality traits.
Osher
Y
Y
Beer Sheva Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, POB 4600, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Hamer
D
D
Benjamin
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000235:genetics*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D009679:Nuclear Family; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins