Interaction between the serotonin transporter gene and neuroticism in cigarette smoking behavior
People who are depressed, anxious or impulsive are at high risk for nicotine addiction. Because this cluster of neurotic personality traits has previously been associated with a functional variation in the gene for the serotonin transporter, which is the target for anti-depressant drugs, the authors studied the joint effects of personality and serotonin transporter genotype in a population of 759 never, current and former smokers. The results show that smoking behavior is influenced by an interaction between neuroticism and the serotonin transporter gene. Neuroticism was positively correlated with current smoking and negatively associated with smoking cessation in individuals and siblings with poorly transcribed serotonin transporter genotypes, but not in those with more highly expressed genotypes. Individuals with both a poorly expressed genotype and a high level of neuroticism had the greatest difficulty in quitting smoking. These data suggest that it may be possible to individually tailor smoking cessation programs by taking into account a person's genes and personality.
AUTHORS: S Hu, CL Brody, C Fisher, L Gunzerath, ML Nelson, SZ Sabol, LA Sirota, SE Marcus, BD Greenberg, DL Murphy, DH Hamer
Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute; Oral Disease Prevention, Risk Factors, and Molecular Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Dental Research; Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
For further information on this work, please contact Dr. Dean H. Hamer, NIH Bldg. 37, Rm. 4A13, 37 Convent Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Tel: 301-402-2709
FAX: 301-402-3095
E-mail: deanh@helix.nih.gov
Interacting effects of the serotonin transporter gene and neuroticism in smoking practices and nicotine dependence
Genetic factors appear to influence the chances that a person will become addicted to nicotine. In this study, the authors examined whether a specific gene, the serotonin transporter gene, is involved in nicotine dependence and smoking practices. The serotonin transporter gene affects levels of a brain chemical called serotonin which plays a role in mood. It has a long form and a short form. The short form has been related in previous studies to anxiety-related personality traits. In the present study, the authors conducted genetic, personality, and smoking assessments of 185 smokers. They found that people who had high levels of neuroticism (an anxiety-related personality trait) were more likely to be dependent upon nicotine, if they had at least one copy of the short form of the serotonin gene. However, this trait did not relate to nicotine dependence in persons with the long form of this gene. These results suggest that personality traits and genetic factors may have interacting effects on nicotine addiction. This information may be useful to identify smokers who are most/least likely to benefit from drug treatments for smoking cessation.
AUTHORS: C Lerman, NE Caporaso, J Audrain, D Main, NR Boyd, PG Shields Lombardi Cancer Center (LCC), Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007; Pharmacogenetics Section, Genetic Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892; Division of Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19012; Molecular Epidemiology Section, Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
For further information on this work, please contact Dr. Caryn Lerman, LCC, Georgetown University Medical Center, 2233 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite 317, Washington DC 20007-4101, USA.
Tel: 202-687-0806
FAX: 202-687-8444
E-mail: lermanc@gunet.georgetown.edu
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Journal
Molecular Psychiatry