Novelty Seeking Personality Traits and Heroin Use in China
Author Information
Author(s): Li Ting, Yu Shunying, Du Jiang, Chen Hanhui, Jiang Haifeng, Xu Ke, Fu Yingmei, Wang Dongxiang, Zhao Min
Primary Institution: Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Do novelty seeking personality traits mediate the association between COMT gene variants and the age of onset of drug use in heroin-dependent patients?
Conclusion
The study found that COMT gene variants are associated with both novelty seeking personality traits and the age of onset of heroin use.
Supporting Evidence
- The COMT rs737866 TT genotype was associated with higher novelty seeking scores.
- Individuals with higher novelty seeking scores had an earlier onset age of heroin use.
- The association between COMT genotype and onset age of drug use was partially mediated by novelty seeking traits.
Takeaway
People who like new experiences and have certain gene variations may start using heroin earlier.
Methodology
The study involved 478 heroin-dependent subjects who were genotyped for eight SNPs on the COMT gene and assessed for novelty seeking traits using a specific inventory.
Potential Biases
Potential population admixture in Chinese samples could confound the results.
Limitations
The study lacked non-addicted controls and did not administer the full TCI, which may limit the understanding of the relationship between COMT variants and personality traits.
Participant Demographics
The sample included 234 men and 244 women with a mean age of 33.8 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.004
Confidence Interval
0.44–0.91
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website