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Genetic variation in personality traits explains genetic overlap between borderline personality features and substance use disorders
Author(s) -
Few Lauren R.,
Grant Julia D.,
Trull Timothy J.,
Statham Dixie J.,
Martin Nicholas G.,
Lynskey Michael T.,
Agrawal Arpana
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/add.12690
Subject(s) - big five personality traits , personality , heritability , twin study , extraversion and introversion , genetic correlation , psychology , clinical psychology , neuroticism , substance abuse , genetic variation , psychiatry , medicine , genetics , biology , population , social psychology , environmental health
Aims To examine the genetic overlap between borderline personality features ( BPF ) and substance use disorders ( SUDs ) and the extent to which variation in personality traits contributes to this covariance. Design Genetic structural equation modelling was used to partition the variance in and covariance between personality traits, BPF and SUDs into additive genetic, shared and individual‐specific environmental factors. Setting All participants were registered with the A ustralian T win R egistry. Participants A total of 3127 A ustralian adult twins participated in the study. Measurements Diagnoses of DSM‐IV alcohol and cannabis abuse/dependence ( AAD ; CAD ) and nicotine dependence ( ND ) were derived via computer‐assisted telephone interview. BPF and five‐factor model personality traits were derived via self‐report questionnaires. Findings Personality traits, BPF and substance use disorders were partially influenced by genetic factors with heritability estimates ranging from 0.38 (neuroticism; 95% confidence interval: 0.30–0.45) to 0.78 ( CAD ; 95% confidence interval: 0.67–0.86). Genetic and individual‐specific environmental correlations between BPF and SUDs ranged from 0.33 to 0.56 (95% CI = 0.19–0.74) and 0.19–0.32 (95% CI = 0.06–0.43), respectively. Overall, there was substantial support for genetic influences that were specific to AAD , ND and CAD (30.76–68.60%). Finally, genetic variation in personality traits was responsible for 11.46% (extraversion for CAD ) to 59.30% (neuroticism for AAD ) of the correlation between BPF and SUDs . Conclusions Both genetic and individual‐specific environmental factors contribute to comorbidity between borderline personality features and substance use disorders. A substantial proportion of this comorbidity can be attributed to variation in normal personality traits, particularly neuroticism.