Relationships Between Angry-Impulsive Personality Traits and Genetic Polymorphisms of the Dopamine Transporter

Background The 9-repeat variable number tandem repeat allele of the dopamine transporter has recently been associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in depressed patients. Methods We investigated the association between the 9-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter and angry-impulsive...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological psychiatry (1969) 2009-10, Vol.66 (8), p.717-721
Main Authors: Joyce, Peter R, McHugh, Patrick C, Light, Katrina J, Rowe, Sarah, Miller, Allison L, Kennedy, Martin A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alleles
Anger
Angry-impulsive
borderline personality disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder - psychology
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics
dopamine transporter
Female
Humans
Impulsive Behavior - genetics
Male
Middle Aged
Mood Disorders - diagnosis
Mood Disorders - genetics
Personality - genetics
Polymorphism, Genetic
Psychiatry
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Summary:Background The 9-repeat variable number tandem repeat allele of the dopamine transporter has recently been associated with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in depressed patients. Methods We investigated the association between the 9-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter and angry-impulsive personality traits in a family study with 512 subjects on the molecular genetics of depression and personality. Results Across the whole sample, the 9-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter was associated with angry-impulsive personality traits ( p = .002). This association was stronger in subjects with no history of mood disorders or BPD (odds ratio [OR] = 4.85, p = .008) than in subjects with a history of mood disorders (OR = 1.73, p = .033). Angry-impulsive traits were also associated with lifetime mood disorder diagnoses and with BPD. Conclusions The associations reported in this article suggest that the 9-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter is associated with angry-impulsive personality traits, independent of any link to mood disorder or BPD. This could form the basis of a dopaminergic neurobiological model of angry-impulsive personality traits.
ISSN:0006-3223
1873-2402
DOI:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.03.005