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

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.