Relationship between neuroticism personality trait and serotonin transporter binding.
BACKGROUND
Personality trait is thought to be one of the important factors for vulnerability to depression. The relation between serotonin transporter (5-HTT) polymorphism and anxiety-related personality has been investigated in genetic research. In this study, we investigated the relation between in vivo regional 5-HTT binding in the brain and personality inventory measures in normal male volunteers.


METHODS
Thirty-one healthy male volunteers underwent positron emission tomography scans with (11)C-labeled 3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl) benzonitrile ([(11)C]DASB) to measure 5-HTT and completed revised NEO Personality Inventory. Correlation of [(11)C]DASB binding potentials (BP) with personality inventory measures was calculated using region-of-interest analysis and statistical parametric mapping based on the BP images.


RESULTS
Neuroticism was positively correlated with 5-HTT binding in the thalamus (p = .004). No significant correlation was observed in any other brain region. Within the neuroticism dimension, the facet of depression was positively correlated with 5-HTT binding in the thalamus (p = .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects with higher thalamic 5-HTT binding are more likely to express higher levels of neuroticism and depressive feeling. Serotonin transporter binding in the thalamus might be a marker of vulnerability to depression.
Takano
Akihiro
A
Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, Molecular Imaging Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
Arakawa
Ryosuke
R
Hayashi
Mika
M
Takahashi
Hidehiko
H
Ito
Hiroshi
H
Suhara
Tetsuya
T
D000328:Adult; D001596:Benzylamines / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000378:metabolism; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013788:Thalamus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*
D001596:Benzylamines; D015415:Biomarkers; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; C420885:N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-cyanophenylthio)benzylamine; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins