Association between GPx-1 polymorphisms and personality traits in healthy Chinese-Han subjects

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Genetics
• Psychiatry

Background:

• The three-dimensional personality theory (TPQ) posits heritable personality traits linked to neurotransmitters like dopamine.
• Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) influences dopamine metabolism and is associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders.
• The role of GPx-1 gene polymorphisms in personality traits remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between GPx-1 gene polymorphisms and personality traits in healthy Chinese-Han subjects.
• To explore the potential influence of GPx-1 on personality dimensions.
• To utilize polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for genotype analysis.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 493 healthy Chinese-Han participants (234 males, 259 females).
• Assessed personality traits using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ).
• Genotyped two specific GPx-1 polymorphisms (rs1800668 and rs1050450) using PCR-RFLP after DNA extraction from blood samples.
• Analyzed genotype-TPQ score associations using SPSS, with p < .05 considered statistically significant.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation was found between the rs1800668 polymorphism and the Novelty Seeking (NS) subscale NS2 (p = .025).
• The rs1050450 polymorphism was significantly associated with the NS4 subscale (p = .048).
• Sex stratification revealed a significant difference in NS2 scores among women for rs1800668 (p = .016), with no observed sex effect for rs1050450.

Conclusions:

• GPx-1 gene polymorphisms are associated with specific personality traits in healthy Chinese-Han subjects.
• These findings suggest GPx-1 may play a role in the biological underpinnings of personality.
• GPx-1 represents a potential genetic factor influencing personality traits.