title: Possible association between serotonin transporter promoter region polymorphism and impulsivity in Koreans.
abstract: Serotonin has become the major focus of biological studies of suicidal behavior and impulsive-aggressive behavior in humans. The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene is one of the important genes involved in the regulation of serotonin transmission. We examined the association of impulsivity in Korean populations with a functional polymorphism of the promoter region of the 5-HTT gene (5-HTTLPR). We recruited 186 adolescent prisoners and 64 medical students. Impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and we divided all subjects into three groups: impulsive subjects (IS, N=121), non-impulsive subjects (NIS, N=115) and an intermediate group (excluded, N=14). The 5-HTTLPR genotype was determined by polymerase chain reaction. All subjects were Korean men unrelated to each other. There were no significant differences in the genotype frequency of 5-HTTLPR-S/S, S/L and -L/L between the two groups in the Korean population (IS vs. NIS: 47.9 vs. 61.7%; 43.0 vs. 32.2%; and 9.1 vs. 6.1%, respectively). However, there was a statistically significant difference in allelic frequency of 5-HTTLPR-S and 5-HTTLPR-L between the two groups in the Korean population (IS vs. NIS: 69.4 vs. 77.8%; and 30.6 vs. 22.2%, respectively. From our results, this 5-HTTLPR polymorphism appears to be a possible candidate gene for impulsivity in the Korean population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Nam-Gu, South Korea. rheejh@cataegu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Jong-Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hong-Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae-Sung
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hyun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins