Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases
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Infect. Genet. Evol. · Aug 2014
Interaction between infectious diseases and personality traits: ACP1*C as a potential mediator.
In geographical regions characterized by high pathogen prevalence, it has been shown that human populations tend to be characterized by lower levels of extraversion (E) and openness to experience (OtE). According to the "behavioral immune system" hypothesis, the reduction of extraversion and openness levels represents a behavioral defense against infections. Like the 'classical' immune system, the "behavioral immune system" could also be shaped by its underlying genetic background. ⋯ ACP1 was significantly associated with E: we found that carriers of ACP1*C showed reduced scores for E (Group 1: β=-4.263, P=0.027; Group 2: β=-8.315, P=0.003; Group 1+Group 2: β=-5.366, P=0.001). Across groups, ACP1 was only marginally associated with OtE. In conclusion, the present study found that the ACP1*C allele, previously associated with an increased vulnerability to infectious/parasitic diseases may also be able to shape behavioral immune defenses by interaction with the level of E.