Serotonin transporter gene variant linked to anxiety hostility and depression

[Mauritio]

There is a suprsing amount of studies linking a specific variant of the serotonin transporter to higher neuroticism. Neuroticism, one of the big five traits in psychology, is defined as the proclivity to feel negative emotions like anxiety and depression. Women are higher in trait neuroticism than men.
Now the specific variant is associated with: "...reduced transcriptional efficiency of the 5-HTT gene, and lower expression of 5-HTT."...meaning lower expression of the serotonin transporter SERT, which leads more serotonin available.
So lower levels of SERT/ higher levels of serotonin are associated with neuroticism, as it has been posted before.

"We previously found population and within-family associations between the lower-expressing s allele and neuroticism, a trait related to anxiety, hostility, and depression, on a standard measure (the NEO Personality Inventory, Revised [NEO-PI-R]) in a primarily male population (n=505), and that the s allele was dominant. We investigated this association in a new sample (n=397, 84% female, primarily sib-pairs). The results robustly replicated the 5-HTTLPR neuroticism association, and the dominance of the s allele. Combined data from the two studies (n=902) showed a highly significant association between the s allele and higher NEO Neuroticism both across individuals and within families."
- Association between the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism and personality traits in a primarily female population sample - PubMed

In children you find the same thing. Not only that but higher serotonin was also associated with lower scores of openess (which is associated with creativity) and lower scores of conscientiousness (which is a good predictor for later success in life, especially monetarily).
Interestingly, higher serotonin was associated with lower agreeableness, which I saw replicated in another study on adults. I would have expected serotonin to cause more docile, agreeable people, but I guess it can also make them more disagreeable in a vegan/Greta Thunberg- like way.

"...children homozygous for the S allele had significantly higher scores of Neuroticism and lower scores of Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness."
- Personality and the serotonin transporter gene: Associations in a longitudinal population-based study - PubMed

 

[Mauritio]

Serotonin enables a person to identify negative emotions(anxiety,aggression,...) a.k.a. neuroticism on the face better, as per this study.
Maybe that is an evolutionary survival mechanism, because in times of stress and high serotonin and might be an advantage to identify anxiety or aggression on someones face quickly.

- The role of serotonin in personality inference: tryptophan depletion impairs the identification of neuroticism in the face - PubMed

 

[Ismail]

There is a suprsing amount of studies linking a specific variant of the serotonin transporter to higher neuroticism. Neuroticism, one of the big five traits in psychology, is defined as the proclivity to feel negative emotions like anxiety and depression. Women are higher in trait neuroticism than men.
Now the specific variant is associated with: "...reduced transcriptional efficiency of the 5-HTT gene, and lower expression of 5-HTT."...meaning lower expression of the serotonin transporter SERT, which leads more serotonin available.
So lower levels of SERT/ higher levels of serotonin are associated with neuroticism, as it has been posted before.

"We previously found population and within-family associations between the lower-expressing s allele and neuroticism, a trait related to anxiety, hostility, and depression, on a standard measure (the NEO Personality Inventory, Revised [NEO-PI-R]) in a primarily male population (n=505), and that the s allele was dominant. We investigated this association in a new sample (n=397, 84% female, primarily sib-pairs). The results robustly replicated the 5-HTTLPR neuroticism association, and the dominance of the s allele. Combined data from the two studies (n=902) showed a highly significant association between the s allele and higher NEO Neuroticism both across individuals and within families."
- Association between the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism and personality traits in a primarily female population sample - PubMed

Fascinating!!!!!

In children you find the same thing. Not only that but higher serotonin was also associated with lower scores of openess (which is associated with creativity) and lower scores of conscientiousness (which is a good predictor for later success in life, especially monetarily).

Not sure if I’ve read this correctly, but assuming this means higher serotonin possibly predicates negative success monetarily? ie making less money if you have higher serotonin. Or does it mean lower conscientiousness results in one having less worry of doing things properly and just not caring what or how they make the money, they just want to make the money? Idk

Interestingly, higher serotonin was associated with lower agreeableness, which I saw replicated in another study on adults. I would have expected serotonin to cause more docile, agreeable people,

but I guess it can also make them more disagreeable in a vegan/Greta Thunberg- like way.

lol!!!!!!

"...children homozygous for the S allele had significantly higher scores of Neuroticism and lower scores of Openness, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness."
- Personality and the serotonin transporter gene: Associations in a longitudinal population-based study - PubMed

 

[Mauritio]

Not sure if I’ve read this correctly, but assuming this means higher serotonin possibly predicates negative success monetarily? ie making less money if you have higher serotonin. Or does it mean lower conscientiousness results in one having less worry of doing things properly and just not caring what or how they make the money, they just want to make the money? Idk

Lower conscientousness is associated with less success in your career, (lower agreeableness too, you have to be somewhat willing to confront someone to ask for a raise or to get promoted). And higher sertonin people are less apperently less conscientious.

 

[Ismail]

Lower conscientousness is associated with less success in your career, (lower agreeableness too, you have to be somewhat willing to confront someone to ask for a raise or to get promoted). And higher sertonin people are less apperently less conscientious.

Thanks bud, as I thought

 

[Mauritio]

lower agreeableness

*higher agreeableness is associated with less success