Platelet serotonin level and its correlation with finger length relation

BACKGROUND: Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters implicated in normal personality. Many psychobiological models of personality include some dimensions related to serotonin. Moreover, platelets have long been proposed as easily obtainable, neurological models of serotonergic neurons. AIM: This study was done to examine whether measurement for platelet serotonin could aid as a marker for increased neuroticism trait amongst (arbitrarily named Group C) males and females having the tip of the little fingers below the distal finger mark on the adjacent ring fingers in both their outstretched hands compared to (arbitrarily named Group A) the males and females who have the tip of the little fingers above the distal finger mark on the adjacent ring fingers in both their outstretched hands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Platelet serotonin estimation was done by Elisa Method (LDN, Germany Kit) from randomly selected 48 healthy subjects [24 males (12 males belonging to Group A and 12 belonging to Group C) and 24 females (12 females belonging to group A and 12 females belonging to Group C)]. RESULTS: Preliminary results showed that the platelet serotonin levels were significantly lower (level of significance: 0.05 in t-Test analysis) in Group C males compared to those observed in Group A males and the platelet serotonin levels were also significantly lower (level of significance: 0.05 in t-Test analysis) in Group C females compared to those observed in Group A females. CONCLUSION: Thus, it may be inferred that the platelet serotonin may be used as a biochemical marker for increased neuroticism trait in Group C subjects.