title: Genes and personality characteristics: Possible association of the genetic background with intelligence and decision making in 830 Caucasian Greek subjects.
abstract: It is well known that intelligence consists of a variety of interactional and cognitive skills and abilities (e.g. tradecraft; critical and divergent thinking; perception of foreign information). Decision making is defined as the conscious choice between given options, relating to a problem. Both genetic background and environment comprise key elements for personality characteristics of the human being. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency distribution of rs324420, rs1800497, rs363050, rs6265, rs1328674 polymorphisms known to be involved in individual personality characteristics, in 830 Greek Subjects. The study is independent from direct clinical measurements (e.g. IQ measurements; physiological tests). The population of the volunteers is described, based on genotype, sex, with the respective gene frequencies, including the Minor Allele Frequency (MAF). A potential influence of the volunteer gender with the above characteristics (based on genotypes and alleles) is examined and finally, volunteers are classified as follows: A volunteer receives + 1, for each genotype/allele, which enhances his intelligence or his decision-making. In contrast, he receives - 1, for each genotype/allele, which relegates the individual characteristic. No statistically significant gender-characteristics correlation is observed. According to their genetic profile, a rate of 92.5%, of the volunteers may be characterized by prudence and temperance of thought, with only a small proportion of them (7.5%) may be classified as genetically spontaneous and adventurous. Regarding intelligence, the study population may lay around average and a little above it, at a rate of 96.3%, while the edges of the scale suggest only a 0.5% of the volunteers, who, although the "smartest", somehow seem to lack prudence. In conclusion, individuals with low cognitive ability may be more prudent than others and vice versa, while the "smartest" ones tend to be more risky, in decision-making. Therefore, intelligence and decision-making may, after all, be less linked to each other than expected.
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Greece.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marinos
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Naziris
authors.affiliation: Hellenic Police, Forensic Science Division/Subdivision of Biological & Biochemical Examination & Analysis, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Stefanos A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Limnaios
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drakoulis
keywords: 5-HT2A; 5-HT2A, 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 2A; ANKK1; ANKK1, Ankyrin Repeat and Kinase Associated Containing 1; BDNF; BDNF, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Decision making; EMA, European Medicines Agency; EQ, Emotional Quotient; FAAH1; FAAH1, Fatty-Acid Amide Hydrolase 1; GPCR, G Protein-Coupled Receptors; IQ, Intelligence Quotient; Intelligence; MAF, Minor Allele Frequency; Personality; SNAP-25; SNAP-25, Synaptosomal-Associated Protein, 25 kDa; SNAREs, Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive Factor Attachment Protein REceptors