Serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and schizoid personality traits in the patients with psychosis and psychiatrically well subjects. |
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Authors: | Vera E Golimbet Margarita V Alfimova Tatyana Shcherbatikh Vasili G Kaleda Lilia I Abramova Evgeni I Rogaev |
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Institution: | The Preventive Genetics Laboratory, Research Mental Health Center, Zagorodnoe sh 2/2, 113152 Moscow, Russia. golimbet@mail.ru |
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Abstract: | BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene allelic variants were shown to be associated with Neuroticism and Harm Avoidance but the results were not replicated in other studies. The current investigation was undertaken in a further attempt to study the relationship between 5-HTT polymorphism and personality traits. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: to evaluate a spectrum of personality traits, MMPI was administered to a sample including patients with affective disorders (n=114), patients with schizophrenia spectrum illnesses (n=110) and psychiatrically well controls (n=124). All groups were genotyped for VNTR-17 and functional insertion-deletion (5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms. RESULTS: an association was found between 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and scores on three MMPI scales: Psychopathic deviance, Paranoia and Schizophrenia in patients with affective disorders and S chizophrenia in normal subjects. Both affected and control individuals with 'ss' genotype exhibited lower scores on these scales. CONCLUSION: we demonstrated that functional deletion/insertion allelic variation associated with decreased expression of serotonin transporter ('s' allele or 'ss' genotype) may restrict expression of schizoid traits in normal subjects and patients with affective disorders. |
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