Antidepressive response to sleep deprivation in unipolar depression is not associated with dopamine D3 receptor genotype.
The psychostimulant theory of antidepressive sleep deprivation (SD) proposes a contribution of dopamine D3 receptors (DRD3) in the limbic system to the antidepressant effects of SD. Neuroendocrinological studies suggest a positive correlation of clinical response to SD and cortisol secretion. We hypothesized that the clinical response to SD and amount of cortisol secretion upon SD is associated with the 1-1 genotype of the Bal1 polymorphism of DRD3 on exon 1. In this study, aiming at evaluating the feasibility of screening large patient samples, 52 inpatients (19 males/33 females) with unipolar depression and a score of 18 or more on the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were treated with 1 night of total SD. We found that 31% of our patients responded to SD. There was no association between response to SD and the genotype of the DRD3 Bal1 polymorphism (p < 0.879). There was also no association between increase in cortisol secretion after SD and DRD3 genotypes (p < 1.000) in a subgroup of patients. Statistical power analysis ruled out a major effect of the DRD3 Bal1 polymorphism on clinical response to SD. These results suggest that the DRD3 Bal1 polymorphism is not a promising lead to be followed up in larger patient samples.
Schumann
G
G
Department of Psychiatry, University of Freiburg, Germany. schumann@as200.zi-mannheim.de
Benedetti
F
F
Voderholzer
U
U
Kammerer
N
N
Hemmeter
U
U
Travers
H W
HW
Fiebich
B
B
Holsboer-Trachsler
E
E
Berger
M
M
Seifritz
E
E
Ebert
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D012892:Sleep Deprivation
C493593:DRD3 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050637:Receptors, Dopamine D3; D006854:Hydrocortisone