title: Covariance structure of neuroticism and agreeableness: a twin and molecular genetic analysis of the role of the serotonin transporter gene.
abstract: The Revised NEO Personality Inventory domains of Neuroticism and Agreeableness are considered factorially distinct despite several intercorrelations between these domains. The genetic correlation, an index of the degree to which these intercorrelations are caused by genetic influences, was estimated using data from 913 monozygotic and 562 dizygotic volunteer twin pairs from Canada, Germany, and Japan. The serotonin transporter gene, 5-HTTLPR, was assayed in a sample of 388 nontwin sibling pairs from the United States to determine the contribution of the serotonin transporter locus to the covariation between the Neuroticism and Agreeableness scales. In all four samples, genetic influences contributed to the covariance of Neuroticism and Agreeableness, with the serotonin transporter gene accounting for 10% of the relationship between these domains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. kjang@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Livesley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angleitner
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riemann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vernon
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Hamer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002170:Canada; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral / Q000379:methods; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009679:Nuclear Family / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012701:Serotonin