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Serotonin transporter genetic polymorphisms and harm avoidance in the Chinese
Shih-Jen Tsai1, Chen-Jee Hong, Chih-Ya Cheng
1Department of Psychiatry, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. sjtsai@vghtpe.gov.tw
Psychiatric Genetics
|September 10, 2002
Summary
This study investigated the link between serotonin transporter gene variations and harm avoidance personality traits in Chinese individuals. While the 5HTT-LPR polymorphism showed no association, the 5HTT-VNTR polymorphism was linked to higher harm avoidance in males.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Genetics
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The association between serotonin transporter (5HTT) gene polymorphisms and personality traits, specifically harm avoidance (HA), has yielded inconsistent findings.
- Replicating these findings in diverse ethnic populations is crucial for understanding genetic influences on behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between two 5HTT gene polymorphisms (5HTT-LPR and 5HTT-VNTR) and the harm avoidance dimension in a Han Chinese population.
- To clarify the controversial results regarding 5HTT genetics and personality traits.
Main Methods:
- Genotyping of 5HTT-LPR and 5HTT-VNTR polymorphisms in 192 healthy Han Chinese participants.
- Assessment of harm avoidance using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ).
- Statistical analysis to compare TPQ HA scores across different 5HTT genotypes, considering gender and ethnicity.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found between 5HTT-LPR genotypes and TPQ HA scores or its sub-scales.
- A significant association was observed between the 5HTT-VNTR 10-12 genotype and a higher HA2 sub-score in males compared to the 12-12 genotype (P = 0.007).
Conclusions:
- The 5HTT-VNTR polymorphism may be associated with harm avoidance personality traits in the Chinese population.
- The influence of 5HTT genetic polymorphisms on harm avoidance is potentially modulated by ethnicity and gender.