The 5-HT(2A) receptor gene 102T/C polymorphism is associated with suicidal behavior in depressed patients.
Several lines of evidence suggest that genetic factors constitute an important determinant of suicidal behavior. A significant association between the 5-HT(2A)-C allele and suicidality has recently been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the proposed association between 5-HT(2A)-102T/C polymorphism and suicidality could be replicated in a larger and independent sample of Spanish patients with major depression. The 102T/C polymorphism of the 5-HT(2A) receptor gene was analyzed in 159 patients with major depression (DSM-IV criteria) and 164 unrelated and healthy controls using a case control design. All individuals were subjects of Spanish origin. Significant differences in allele (chi-square = 4.13, df = 1, P = 0.04) and genotype (chi-square = 6.19, df = 2, P = 0.04) distributions were found between non-suicide attempters and suicide attempters. Moreover, those patients carrying 5-HT(2A)-C allele had more than five times the risk for attempting suicide than noncarriers (OR = 5.50, 95% CI = 1.18-35.20, P = 0.01). Our results replicate the proposed association between 5HT(2A)-C allele and suicidality in major depression. Moreover, no overall associations are detected when patients with major depression and controls are compared for 102T/C frequencies, suggesting that the increased risk for suicidality conferred by 5-HT(2A)-C allele is primarily associated with suicidal behavior and not with the diagnosis of major depression itself.
Arias
B
B
Unitat d'Antropologia, Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Gastó
C
C
Catalán
R
R
Gutiérrez
B
B
Pintor
L
L
Fañanás
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000235:genetics*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology
D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D004247:DNA