Serotonin 2A receptor gene polymorphism and personality traits: no evidence for significant association

Psychiatr Genet. 2005 Mar;15(1):67-9. doi: 10.1097/00041444-200503000-00011.

Abstract

A number of studies have observed associations between the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor and mental disorders. Here, we investigated correlations between polymorphisms (-1438G/A and 102T/C) of the 5-HT2A gene and personality traits in healthy Japanese volunteers (n = 239). The personality traits were evaluated using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R). The -1438G/A and 102T/C were in complete linkage disequilibrium. There was a tendency for associations between the genotype and the scores for Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism of the NEO PI-R (P = 0.028, 0.039 and 0.062, respectively; analysis of variance, uncorrected for multiple testing). Subjects with the A/A of -1438G/A (or T/T of 102T/C) appeared to be lower in Neuroticism and higher in Conscientiousness than the rest of the subjects. However, the results were statistically non-significant after Bonferroni's correction for multiple testing of the five scales of the NEO PI-R. Thus, the present study provided no evidence for statistically significant associations between the 5-HT2A polymorphisms and the personality traits.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anxiety / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Linkage Disequilibrium
  • Male
  • Neurotic Disorders / genetics
  • Personality / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / genetics*

Substances

  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A