title: Serotonin transporter-linked promoter region polymorphism and personality traits in a Japanese population.
abstract: Serotonin transporter gene may play a critical role in a regulation of mood and other aspects of mental status. A large number of association studies have investigated a correlation between the polymorphism in the serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) and anxiety-related personality traits. The results, however, have been inconsistent. Heterogeneity of subjects regarding gender, occupation, social-class and other environmental factors, in addition to effects of other genes, might have confounded the results. Here, we studied an association between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and personality traits in primarily female (78%) healthy subjects (n=244), who had homogeneous backgrounds regarding ethnicity (Japanese) and occupation. Personality traits of the subjects were assessed with the revised NEO Personality Inventory. No significant association was observed between the polymorphism and neuroticism or other personality traits, in all subjects, all females (n=190) or female nurses (n=159). Thus, our findings provided no evidence for an association between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and anxiety-related or other personality traits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. umkg-tky@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umekage
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tochigi
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marui
authors.forename: Chieko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hibino
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kohda
authors.forename: Nobumasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Tsukasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012737:Sex Factors
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