# Neurogenetic Profiles of Anxiety, Impulsivity, and Personality Traits in Elite Combat Sport Athletes: A Cluster-Based Analysis

## TL;DR

This study explores how genetic and psychological traits combine to form distinct profiles among elite combat athletes, suggesting potential for personalized training strategies.

## Contribution

The study identifies distinct neurogenetic profiles in combat athletes by linking psychological traits with dopamine-related genetic variants.

## Key findings

- Three distinct psychological profiles were identified among athletes based on traits like anxiety and impulsivity.
- One profile showed unique genetic differences despite intermediate behavioral traits.
- Combining psychological and genetic data may help in understanding athlete subtypes and genotype-phenotype relationships.

## Abstract

Elite combat sport athletes must control stress, attention, and impulsive reactions during training and competition. However, athletes differ markedly in these psychological characteristics, and the biological factors behind these differences are still not well understood. In this study, we examined whether athletes could be grouped into distinct psychological profiles and whether these profiles were linked to differences in selected dopamine-related genetic variants. We assessed 200 male elite Polish combat athletes using questionnaires measuring personality, anxiety, impulsivity, attention-related symptoms, and the ability to experience pleasure. Using statistical grouping methods, we identified three different athlete profiles. One group showed higher anxiety, higher impulsivity, and more attention-related symptoms. Another group showed lower anxiety and impulsivity with higher extraversion and conscientiousness. A third group showed intermediate behavioral levels but was the most genetically distinctive. These findings suggest that combining psychological profiling with genetic information may help describe meaningful subtypes of athletes. In the future, this approach could support more individualized psychological monitoring and training strategies in high-performance sport.

Behavioral regulation in elite combat sports relies on traits such as anxiety, impulsivity, and personality, which are partly shaped by dopaminergic signaling. However, integrative approaches linking multidimensional behavioral profiles with genetic variability in athletes remain limited. This study aimed to identify distinct psychological profiles in elite combat athletes and examine whether these profiles differ in selected dopaminergic gene polymorphisms. A total of 200 male Polish elite combat athletes completed validated questionnaires assessing personality, anxiety, impulsivity, attention-related symptoms, and hedonic capacity. Standardized psychological variables were analyzed using a two-step clustering procedure. Genotype distributions were compared across clusters using chi-square tests. The clusters showed clear behavioral differentiation. Cluster 1 demonstrated higher anxiety, impulsivity, neuroticism, and attention-related symptoms. Cluster 2 showed lower anxiety and impulsivity alongside higher extraversion and conscientiousness. Cluster 3 displayed intermediate behavioral characteristics but the most distinctive genotype pattern. These findings suggest that combining behavioral clustering with genetic data may help characterize meaningful neurogenetic profiles in elite athletes and provide hypothesis-generating insights into genotype–phenotype relationships.