title: Serotonin transporter genetic polymorphisms and harm avoidance in the Chinese.
abstract: The association for the harm avoidance (HA) dimension, as assessed by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), and the serotonin-transporter genetic polymorphisms has been investigated with controversial results. The aim of the present study was to replicate this investigation and to establish the association for a Chinese population. Two polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5HTT-LPR, serotonin transporter-linked polymorphism region; 5HTT-VNTR, variable number tandem repeat polymorphism in intron 2 of the serotonin transporter gene) were determined for 192 healthy Han Chinese who had completed the TPQ. No significant differences were demonstrated for TPQ HA scores, including the sub-scales, for subjects with different 5HTT-LPR genotypes. A significantly higher HA2 sub-score was demonstrated for subjects carrying the 10-12 5HTT-VNTR genotype, however, compared with those from the 12-12 genotype group, for the male population (P = 0.007). Our findings suggest that the 5HTT genetic polymorphism may be associated with HA scores; however, the effect is influenced by ethnicity and gender.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. sjtsai@vghtpe.gov.tw
authors.forename: Shih-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chen-Jee
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Chih-Ya
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004247:DNA