Serotonin receptor HTR1A and HTR2C variants and personality traits in suicide attempters and controls

Introduction

Serotonin has been extensively studied in relation to both personality features and suicidal behaviours.

Objective

In this study, we considered the association between the serotonin receptor 1A (HTR1A) and 2C (HTR2C) SNPs and personality traits, as measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), in a sample of suicide patients and healthy volunteers.

Methods

The SNPs considered were, for HTR1A rs1423691, rs878567 and rs6295, and for HTR2C rs547536, rs2192372, rs6318, rs2428707, rs4272555 and rs1801412. The sample was composed of three groups: two German samples, consisting of a healthy control group of 289 subjects (42.6% males, mean age: 45.2 ± 14.9) and a psychiatric patient group of 111 suicide attempters (38.7% males, mean age: 39.2 ± 13.6), and an Italian sample, composed of 64 mood disorder patients (35.9% males, mean age: 43.0 ± 14.8). In the German samples all the SNPs were investigated, while in the Italian sample only the HTR1A rs6295 and the HTR2C rs6318 SNPs were considered.

Results

Controlling for sex, age and educational level, single markers and haplotypes were not or only marginally associated with personality dimensions.

Conclusions

Our study does not support the role of HTR1A and HTR2C gene variants on personality traits in both healthy volunteers and mood disorder patients.