- Women with alcohol use disorder showed higher Neuroticism and Openness, and lower Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness compared to controls.
- A significant COMT rs4680 genotype × diagnosis interaction affected Openness; AUD women with G/A or G/G genotypes had elevated Openness versus genotype-matched controls.
- Dopaminergic genetic variation may moderate personality expression in addiction; Openness may act as vulnerability or adaptation, highlighting gene × personality effects in female AUD research.
Postep Psychiatr Neurol. 2026 Sep;35(2):161-169. doi: 10.5114/ppn.2026.164880. Epub 2026 Sep 22.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to examine the association between COMT rs4680 genotypes, alcohol use disorder diagnosis, and differences in Five-Factor personality traits.
METHODS: We examined 213 adult women in total, including 101 with a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and 112 non-addicted controls. All participants completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and were genotyped for the COMT rs4680 polymorphism using real-time PCR. Group comparisons and genotype × diagnosis interactions were analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc tests.
RESULTS: Women with AUD scored significantly higher on Neuroticism and Openness to Experience, and lower on Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness compared to controls. A significant interaction between COMT rs4680 genotype and group status was observed for Openness (F2,207 = 6.16, p = 0.0025), with alcohol-dependent women carrying the G/A or G/G genotype showing elevated Openness scores compared to genotype-matched controls.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that dopaminergic genetic variation may moderate the expression of personality traits in the context of alcohol dependence. Openness to Experience, typically associated with cognitive flexibility, may represent both a vulnerability and an adaptation mechanism in addiction, depending on genetic background. This study emphasizes the importance of considering gene × personality interactions in female addiction research.
PMID:42898859 | PMC:PMC13678373 | DOI:10.5114/ppn.2026.164880
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