title: Association between 5-HTTLPR and Borderline Personality Disorder Traits among Youth.
abstract: This study provides the first genetic association examination of borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits in children and adolescents (ages 9-15) using two independent samples of youth recruited from the general community. We tested the a priori hypothesis that the serotonin transporter promoter gene (5-HTTLPR) would relate specifically to BPD traits in youth. This association was hypothesized based on prior genetic association research with BPD adults and theory positing that emotion dysregulation may be a core risk process contributing to BPD. Youth provided DNA via buccal cells. Both youth and a parent completed self-report measures assessing youth's BPD traits and depressive symptoms. Results from both Study 1 (N = 242) and an independent replication sample of Study 2 (N = 144) showed that carriers of the short allele of 5-HTTLPR exhibited the highest levels of BPD traits. This relation was observed even after controlling for the substantial co-occurrence between BPD traits and depressive symptoms. This specific association between 5-HTTLPR and BPD traits among youth supports previous genetic associations with adults diagnosed with BPD and provides preliminary support for a developmental extension of etiological risk for BPD among youth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Denver Denver, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hankin
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Barrocas
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jenness
authors.forename: Caroline W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Oppenheimer
authors.forename: Lisa S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Badanes
authors.forename: John R Z
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Abela
authors.forename: Jami
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smolen