However, the exact genetic basis of personality is still poorly understood. 2017) and have a relatively stable trajectory over time after early adulthood ( Kupper et al. Twin studies have demonstrated that personality traits, as measured by self-report questionnaires ( Cervone and Pervin 2009), are moderately heritable ( Kandler et al. While numerous genetic studies have examined psychiatric diseases, relatively less work has been done on the genetic basis of RDoC traits such as personality. Personality traits can be closely aligned with domains within the Research Domain Criteria ( RDoC), which views psychiatric disorders as extremes of normal tendencies, and is intended to foster a biological analysis of behavior. 2005) however, it is unknown whether these correlations have a genetic or environmental basis. Strong phenotypic correlations have been reported over the years between personality traits and a wide array of psychopathological conditions ( Khan et al. Personality traits are the relatively enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that reflect the tendency to respond in certain ways under certain circumstances ( Roberts 2009 p 140).
Polygenic analyses have demonstrated genetic correlations between personality and psychopathology, confirming that genetic studies of personality can help to elucidate the etiology of several neuropsychiatric diseases. Findings from genetic studies of personality have furthered our understanding about the genetic etiology of personality, which, like neuropsychiatric diseases themselves, is highly polygenic. Study designs covered include twin, linkage, candidate gene association studies, genome-wide association studies ( GWAS) and polygenic analyses. We review these recent and increasingly rapid developments, which focus on the assessment of personality via several commonly used personality questionnaires in healthy human subjects.
Despite considerable efforts over the past several decades, the genetic variants that influence personality are only beginning to be identified. This implies that heritable variation in personality traits, such as neuroticism, would share a common genetic basis with psychiatric diseases, such as major depressive disorder ( MDD). The Research Domain Criteria ( RDoC) characterizes psychiatric diseases as extremes of normal tendencies, including specific personality traits. Twin and family studies have demonstrated that personality traits are moderately heritable, and can predict various lifetime outcomes, including psychopathology. Personality traits are the relatively enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that reflect the tendency to respond in certain ways under certain circumstances.