Associations among the NEO Personality Inventory, Revised and the serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region in elders: effects of depression and gender.
OBJECTIVE
The short variant of the serotonin transporter gene-linked functional polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been associated with personality traits related to anxiety, hostility, and depression. We attempted to replicate findings suggesting a positive relation between the short allele variant of 5-HTTLPR and Neuroticism, and a negative association between the short allele variant and Agreeableness.


METHODS
Participants in the present study were 103 geriatric depressed patients and 99 non-depressed age matched controls. Depression status and gender were examined as potential modifiers of the association between 5-HTTLPR and personality.


RESULTS
Neuroticism was associated with allele frequency such that individuals with the short variant of the allele (ss or sl, group S) were significantly lower on Neuroticism ( P<0.04) compared with individuals with the long allele variant (group L), a pattern opposite to that of previous reports. The association did not vary by clinical group (depressed or controls) but was conditional on gender ( P<0.01): the mean Neuroticism for males in group S was 48.2, whereas the mean Neuroticism for males in group L was 55.9; and the mean Neuroticism for females did not differ by allele group. In the total sample, Agreeableness was not associated with allele frequency; however, there was a significant allele groupxclinical groupxgender interaction ( P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings failed to replicate prior work suggesting that the short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele is associated with higher Neuroticism and lower Agreeableness.
Brummett
Beverly H
BH
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. brummett@acpub.duke.edu
Siegler
Ilene C
IC
McQuoid
Douglas R
DR
Svenson
Ingrid K
IK
Marchuk
Douglas A
DA
Steffens
David C
DC
D000368:Aged; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D003863:Depression / Q000235:genetics*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012016:Reference Values; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004247:DNA