Relationships between angry-impulsive personality traits and genetic polymorphisms of the dopamine transporter.
BACKGROUND
The 9-repeat variable number tandem repeat allele of the dopamine transporter has recently been associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in depressed patients.


METHODS
We investigated the association between the 9-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter and angry-impulsive personality traits in a family study with 512 subjects on the molecular genetics of depression and personality.


RESULTS
Across the whole sample, the 9-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter was associated with angry-impulsive personality traits (p = .002). This association was stronger in subjects with no history of mood disorders or BPD (odds ratio [OR] = 4.85, p = .008) than in subjects with a history of mood disorders (OR = 1.73, p = .033). Angry-impulsive traits were also associated with lifetime mood disorder diagnoses and with BPD.


CONCLUSIONS
The associations reported in this article suggest that the 9-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter is associated with angry-impulsive personality traits, independent of any link to mood disorder or BPD. This could form the basis of a dopaminergic neurobiological model of angry-impulsive personality traits.
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand. peter.joyce@otago.ac.nz
Peter R
PR
Joyce
Patrick C
PC
McHugh
Katrina J
KJ
Light
Sarah
S
Rowe
Allison L
AL
Miller
Martin A
MA
Kennedy
D000483:Alleles; D000786:Anger; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C493214:SLC6A3 protein, human