Background: Few seniors are free of chronic disease and the genetic factors that contribute to long term good health are not well understood. We have established a study of Super-Seniors, individuals who are over the age of 85 who have never reported being diagnosed with Alzheimer disease, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or pulmonary disease, to determine what these genetic factors are. Longevity and health are associated with specific personality traits and personality consists of a person’s emotional, attitudinal and behavioural responses, which are related to neurotransmission in the brain. Genes that encode neurotransmitters, their receptors or that affect their metabolism are candidates for study on the effects of personality. Genetic variation in personality-related genes may affect health by influencing behaviour and lifestyle.

Hypothesis: Genetic variants in genes involved in neurotransmission or that underlie personality disorders influence healthy aging.

Objective: To determine if genetic variation in personality-related genes is associated with the super senior phenotype.

Methods: 1) Five neurotransmitter-related candidate genes involved in the physiology of personality and personality disorders were identified from the literature. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped using the Sequenom MassArray method and variable number random repeat polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR and fragment analysis in DNA samples of 493 European-ancestry Super-Seniors and 431 European-ancestry controls. 3) Tests for association are underway.

Identifying personality-related genetic variants that influence healthy aging may lead to pharmacological opportunities to improve long term health in our aging population.