Prevalence of the 5‑HTT Linked Polymorphic Region among Faculty of Science Students and Its Association with General Mental Well‑Being

Asma Alilesh; Marwa Elwash; Ehsan Idris; Saad Aboualkasem; Rowida Altomi; Fatima Alzahra’a Alshebani

doi:10.54361/ajmas.269325

Authors

Asma Alilesh Department of Genetic and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0518-4362
Marwa Elwash Department of Genetic and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0234-3328
Ehsan Idris Department of Genetic and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1494-2352
Saad Aboualkasem Department of Genetic and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8795-1352
Rowida Altomi Department of Genetic and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9893-1958
Fatima Alzahra’a Alshebani Department of Genetic and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4788-9025

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54361/ajmas.269325

Keywords:

Serotonins, Transporter Gene, Polymorphism, Wellbeing, PCR

Abstract

The short allele of the 5-HTTLPR, located within the promoter of the serotonin transporter gene, has been linked with increased anxiety-related personality traits and affective disorders after exposure to stress. We aim to investigate the relationship between the short allele and the general well-being of Science Faculty students at the University of Misurata who have lived in Libya their whole lives and experienced the unrest of the past eight years. 226 participants were selected randomly, and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) was used to assess their state of well-being. The OHQ results were used to divide the participants into three groups: the highest-scoring individuals, the lowest-scoring individuals, and those within the confidence interval for the mean of the sample. Members of each group were genotyped using conventional PCR analysis. Frequency test analysis showed the presence of a significant association between 5-HTTLPR and well-being in this sample, where the SS genotype was strongly associated with membership of the lowest-scoring group, while LL and LS were equally associated with that of the highest -scoring group.