title: Possible association of a polymorphism of the tryptophan hydroxylase gene with suicidal behavior in depressed patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to test the hypothesis that serotonin-system-related genes may be correlated with suicide risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one unrelated Caucasian inpatients with major depression, with or without a history of suicidal acts, were genotyped for a biallelic polymorphism at the tryptophan hydroxylase locus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The less common tryptophan hydroxylase U allele occurred with greater frequency in the patients who had attempted suicide. A logistic regression analysis confirmed an association between tryptophan hydroxylase genotype and lifetime history of suicide attempts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serotonergic-system-related genes may influence the risk of suicide in persons with major depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Erdos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gelernter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase