Basic Research in Personality: Molecular Genetics of Personality

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Personality traits are summarized by five broad dimensions with pervasive influences on major life outcomes, strong links to psychiatric disorders and clear heritable components. Identifying the genetic variants associated with personality traits remains challenging. A large number of studies have tested several candidate genes, especially for the Neuroticism factor, with mixed results. Two study completed during this time period sought to determine whether polymorphisms in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genes were associated with the broad factor of Neuroticism, and the more specific components of depression and anxiety-related traits. In recent years, attention has turned to genome wide association studies (GWAS), which search across the entire genome for common variants that contribute to quantitative traits and diseases. The results from these studies suggest that a large number of genes contribute to complex traits, and each common variant explains only a small fraction of the trait heritability. To increase power, current research meta-analytically combines the GWAS results from multiple samples to identify the genetic variants associated with the five major dimensions of personality (Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) and the facets that compose each factor.