A functional NPSR1 gene variant and environment shape personality and impulsive action: A longitudinal study

Abstract

Neuropeptide S and its receptor NPSR1 are involved in the regulation of arousal, attention and anxiety. We examined whether the NPSR1 gene functional polymorphism Asn¹⁰⁷Ile (rs324981, A>T) influences personality, impulsivity, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related symptoms in a population-representative sample, and whether any eventual associations depend on age, sex, family relations and stressful life events (SLE). We used self-reports or teachers' ratings for both the younger (n=593) and older (n=583) cohort of the longitudinal Estonian Children Personality, Behaviour and Health Study. Males with the TT genotype displayed more ADHD-related symptoms. Adaptive impulsivity and Extraversion increased the most from age 18 to 25. While highest increases were observed in AA men, TT women exhibited the largest decreases. For participants with the AA genotype, Warmth in family was inversely associated with Neuroticism, and positively associated with Extraversion and Adaptive impulsivity. High exposure to SLE increased impulsivity and ADHD scores in TT genotype subjects. We conclude that the NPSR1 A/T polymorphism is associated with impulsivity, ADHD symptoms and personality, mirroring the activity- and anxiety-mediating role of NPSR1. Heterozygous individuals were the least sensitive to environmental factors, whereas subjects with the AA genotype and TT genotype reacted to different types of environmental adversities.

Activation of Hypocretin-1/Orexin-A Neurons Projecting to the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis and Paraventricular Nucleus Is Critical for Reinstatement of Alcohol Seeking by Neuropeptide S

“…T single nucleotide polymorphism, resulting in an Asn 107 Ile exchange, with NPS showing a tenfold higher potency on the NPSR 107 Ile isoform (51). NPSR 107 Ile was associated with impulsivity, stress sensitivity, hyperactivity, neuroticism, and, most importantly, alcohol use disorders (52,53). Although alcohol-cue reactivity in NPSR 107 Ile-carrying alcoholics had not been studied yet, one study associated NPSR 107 Ile with overinterpretation and overreaction to fear-conditioned stimuli (54).…”

Perception of emotion in facial stimuli: The interaction of ADRA2A and COMT genotypes, and sex

“…The sampling procedure and details for the general data collection have been described previously (Tomson et al, 2011;Harro et al, 2001;Laas et al, 2014). All subjects participated voluntarily, and signed a consent form.…”

Neuropeptide S receptor gene variant and environment: contribution to alcohol use disorders and alcohol consumption

“…Our recent study revealed that NPSR1 genotype is associated with personality (Laas et al . ), and also with the prevalence of affective/anxiety disorders (Laas et al . ).…”