title: Serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and personality in female patients with seasonal affective disorder and in healthy controls.
abstract: Serotonergic pathways have been related to altered personality patterns in seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The short allele (s) of a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter promoter gene (5-HTTLPR) has been associated with neuroticism and anxiety-related personality traits in healthy volunteers. We investigated personality and 5-HTTLPR in female SAD patients using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). TCI was completed by 56 female patients and 76 age-matched female controls. DNA was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction methods. Subjects homozygous for the long allele (l) were compared to s carriers. Females with SAD had higher scores in Harm Avoidance and lower scores in Novelty Seeking, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness when compared to controls. Patients carrying the s allele had lower Self-Directedness scores. Our data indicate that females with SAD show altered personality traits. The s allele was associated with lower Self-Directedness scores in SAD patients, whereas there were no significant differences in TCI dimensions between patients and controls in carriers of the long allele.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychiatry, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. nikolaus.thierry@akh-wien.ac.at
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thierry
authors.forename: Matthäus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Willeit
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Praschak-Rieder
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zill
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hornik
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neumeister
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lenzinger
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stastny
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hilger
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Konstantinidis
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aschauer
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ackenheil
authors.forename: Brigitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bondy
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010556:Personality Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
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