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The dopamine transporter gene possibly affects personality traits in patients with early-onset major depressive disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2013

Chang-Chih Huang ,
Ru-Band Lu ,
Mei-Chen Shih ,
Che-Hung Yen  and
San-Yuan Huang
Chang-Chih Huang
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. Department of Psychiatry, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, R.O.C.
Ru-Band Lu
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, R.O.C.
Mei-Chen Shih
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Che-Hung Yen
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, R.O.C.
San-Yuan Huang*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
*
Dr. San-Yuan Huang, Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, No. 325, Cheng-Kung Road, Sec. 2, Nei-Hu District, Taipei 114, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel: +011-886-2-8792-7220; Fax: +011-886-2-8792-7221; E-mail: hsy@ndmctsgh.edu.tw
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Abstract

Objective

Comorbid personality pathologies may affect the outcome of patients with major depression (MD). The dopamine transporter gene DAT1 (SLC6A3) has been suggested to play a role in both depression and specific personality traits. The aim of this study was to assess five polymorphisms of the DAT1 gene (rs2550948, rs2975226, rs6347, rs27072, and 3′-VNTR) to determine whether this gene influences personality traits in patients with MD or its subgroups.

Methods

The DAT1 polymorphisms were analysed in 463 unrelated Han Chinese MD patients. The personality traits, novelty seeking (NS), and harm avoidance (HA), were examined using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. The patients were also divided into four clinical subgroups on the basis of differences in their sex (male or female) and age at disease onset (early or late).

Results

There was no association between the DAT1 gene and either NS or HA in the total MD sample or in the sex-based subgroups. However, early-onset MD patients with the G/G genotype of rs2550948 and the T/T genotype of rs2975226 had lower NS scores than did patients with the other genotypes (pcorrected = 0.05 for rs2550948 and pcorrected = 0.005 for rs2975226).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that DAT1 promoter variants possibly influence specific personality traits in the early-onset subgroup of depressed patients in the Han Chinese population. Further prospective cohort studies are required to verify our preliminary finding and to confirm the effects of personality susceptibility on long-term disease outcomes.

Keywords

DAT1depressiondopamine transporterearly onsetpersonality
Type
Original Articles
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , August 2013 , pp. 227 - 234
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2013 

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