5HTTLPR polymorphism in schizophrenic patients: further support for association with violent suicide attempts.
Previous studies testing the functional polymorphism in the promoter of the serotonin-transporter gene (5HTTLPR) in various psychiatric conditions have suggested that the association could be with an intermediate phenotype, impulsivity and/or violence rather than with a diagnosis. Schizophrenia is associated with a high risk of suicide, especially in patients with high impulsivity. We examined whether this polymorphism could be associated with violent suicide and/or impulsivity in schizophrenic patients. We genotyped the 5HTTLPR polymorphism in 185 unrelated schizophrenic patients from a French Caucasian population. The genotype frequencies significantly differed between patients who made violent suicide attempts and both, those who attempted suicide with a non-violent method (P = 0.013) and those who never attempted suicide (P = 0.026). The genotypes containing the low activity "short" allele was significantly more frequent in violent suicide attempters (P = 0.007) than in non-violent suicide attempters. No evidence was found for an association either with schizophrenia itself, when compared to gender and ethnically matched controls (n = 159) or with impulsivity, assessed using Barratt's Impulsivity Scale. Although replication studies are warranted, these results in schizophrenia further support the hypothesis that 5HTTLPR polymorphism is a risk factor for violent suicidal behavior.
Bayle
F J
FJ
INSERM E0117, University of Paris V, University Department of Mental Health and Therapeutics, Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris, France.
Leroy
S
S
Gourion
D
D
Millet
B
B
Olié
J P
JP
Poirier
M F
MF
Krebs
M O
MO
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins