Genetic variation in the schizophrenia-risk gene neuregulin1 correlates with personality traits in healthy individuals.

Background: Differences in personality traits have long been acknowledged as potential risk factors in developing psychiatric disorders. Lately, several susceptibility genes of different psychiatric disorders have been linked to personality traits. This has not been done for schizophrenia yet. Neuregulin1 has been repeatedly shown to be associated with schizophrenia and is involved in numerous neurodevelopmental functions such as neuronal migration and myelination. The impact of this gene might also modulate personality traits in healthy subjects.

Methods: The NRG1 status of 523 healthy subjects was determined with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP8NRG221533) which has been described as a tagging marker being part of the core at-risk haplotype for schizophrenia. Genotype was correlated with personality traits using the NEO-FFI questionnaire.

Results: Subjects with the NRG1 risk allele scored higher on neuroticism (p<.05) and lower on conscientiousness (p<.05). Further, interactions of genotype by gender for extraversion (p<.05), openness (p<.05) and conscientiousness (p<.05) were found with men carrying the risk allele scoring the lowest.

Conclusions: The data indicate that the NRG1 gene which has found to be associated with schizophrenia may also influence personality differences in healthy subjects.