Molecular-genetic polymorphisms of serotonin system and COMT as molecular markers of personality in young men from Russia

The gene-molecular approach may add substantially to our understanding of the heritability and environmental loading on the Big-five personality traits. Self-ratings on NEO Form S (Costa-McCrae, 1992) were obtained for the sample of 79 young men. All respondents provided buccal-epithelium for DNA analyses. The associations of tree genes connected to the circulation of brain serotonin (5HTT, HTR1A, HTR2) and dopamine (COMT) with self-ratings on the Big-five factors were tested. The regression analyses with all four genes as independent factors and each of five personality factors as dependent variables were conducted. The association of the serotonin receptor, HTR2 with Neuroticism factor was significant ( p  = 0.042), the high activity alleles prevailed in carriers of higher emotional stability. The allelic polymorphism in the gene of serotonin promoter, 5HTTLPR, was associated with Openness to experience ( p  = 0.029), in such a way that carriers of low activity alleles demonstrated higher intellectual curiosity and creativity.