title: Serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and personality traits in a Korean population.
abstract: Recently, there has been growing enthusiasm for exploring biological approaches to personality, especially in the area of genetic research into the identification of those genes responsible for particular personality traits. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism and personality traits. We recruited 211 unrelated, normal subjects. The Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used to assess certain personality traits. From blood samples taken from the subjects, DNA was isolated using standard techniques and the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism was genotyped by means of polymerase chain reaction and electrophoresis. We classified the subject into the s/s, s/l, and l/l groups according to their genotype. The differences in the temperament factors of the TCI between group S (s/s genotype) and group L (s/l + l/l genotype) were assessed, after the inclusion of gender and age as covariates in the analysis of variance. After controlling for gender and age, there were no associations between the harm avoidance, novelty seeking, and reward dependence scores and the genotypes. However, the persistence score of group S was significantly higher than that of group L. Our results suggest that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism may be associated with the persistence score of the TCI in a normal Korean population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Dogok-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-720, Korea.
authors.forename: Se Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Shin
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nak Kyung
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hyun Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Hong Shick
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chan-Hyung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012737:Sex Factors; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D004247:DNA