Genetic study identifies 1,260 variants linked to personality traits

An international research group has identified 1,260 genetic variants associated with the ‘Big Five’ personality traits. The meta-analysis, led by Ted Schwaba of Michigan State University and published in the journal Nature, utilized DNA and personality data from over one million individuals across 46 research groups and cohorts worldwide.

The study examined five key dimensions: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience. Researchers used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to compare genetic differences with personality scores. The findings included 824 significant associations in DNA regions not previously linked to these specific traits.

While the study significantly increased the number of known genetic locations for traits—such as 706 for neuroticism and 258 for extraversion—researchers emphasized that no single ‘personality gene’ exists. Instead, personality is shaped by a complex interplay of many genetic variants rather than a single gene dictating behavior.