Serotonin transporter genetic polymorphisms and harm avoidance in the Chinese

The association for the harm avoidance (HA) dimension, as assessed by the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), and the serotonin-transporter genetic polymorphisms has been investigated with controversial results. The aim of the present study was to replicate this investigation and to establish the association for a Chinese population. Two polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5HTT-LPR, serotonin transporter-linked polymorphism region; 5HTT-VNTR, variable number tandem repeat polymorphism in intron 2 of the serotonin transporter gene) were determined for 192 healthy Han Chinese who had completed the TPQ. No significant differences were demonstrated for TPQ HA scores, including the sub-scales, for subjects with different 5HTT-LPR genotypes. A significantly higher HA2 sub-score was demonstrated for subjects carrying the 10-12 5HTT-VNTR genotype, however, compared with those from the 12-12 genotype group, for the male population (P = 0.007). Our findings suggest that the 5HTT genetic polymorphism may be associated with HA scores; however, the effect is influenced by ethnicity and gender.