Key result
The short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele was associated with significantly lower Neuroticism compared to the long allele variant (P<0.04), particularly in males (48.2 vs 55.9; P<0.01).
Why the study?
Is the short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele associated with Neuroticism and Agreeableness in geriatric depressed patients and controls?
Case-Control (n=202)
Is the short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele associated with Neuroticism and Agreeableness in geriatric depressed patients and controls?
p-value: p=<0.04
The study failed to replicate prior findings, showing instead that the short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele is associated with lower Neuroticism in males, with no overall association found for Agreeableness.
Association with lower neuroticism in males warrants no practice change; challenges prior reports and leaves 5-HTTLPR role in geriatric depression open.
OBJECTIVE: The short variant of the serotonin transporter gene-linked functional polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been associated with personality traits related to anxiety, hostility, and depression. We attempted to replicate findings suggesting a positive relation between the short allele variant of 5-HTTLPR and Neuroticism, and a negative association between the short allele variant and Agreeableness. METHODS: Participants in the present study were 103 geriatric depressed patients and 99 non-depressed age matched controls. Depression status and gender were examined as potential modifiers of the association between 5-HTTLPR and personality. RESULTS: Neuroticism was associated with allele frequency such that individuals with the short variant of the allele (ss or sl, group S) were significantly lower on Neuroticism ( P<0.04) compared with individuals with the long allele variant (group L), a pattern opposite to that of previous reports. The association did not vary by clinical group (depressed or controls) but was conditional on gender ( P<0.01): the mean Neuroticism for males in group S was 48.2, whereas the mean Neuroticism for males in group L was 55.9; and the mean Neuroticism for females did not differ by allele group. In the total sample, Agreeableness was not associated with allele frequency; however, there was a significant allele groupxclinical groupxgender interaction ( P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings failed to replicate prior work suggesting that the short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele is associated with higher Neuroticism and lower Agreeableness.
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Brummett et al. (2003) conducted a case-control in Depression (n=202). Short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele (group S) vs. Long allele variant (group L) was evaluated on Neuroticism (p=<0.04). The short variant of the 5-HTTLPR allele was associated with significantly lower Neuroticism compared to the long allele variant (P<0.04), particularly in males (48.2 vs 55.9; P<0.01).
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