title: Serotonin transporter gene functional polymorphism: a plausible candidate gene for increased vascular risk in depression.
abstract: The evidence of increased vascular morbidity and mortality associated with depression has generated research interest in studying the mechanisms or causal pathways underlying this association. Recent advances in molecular genetics have demonstrated that serotonin transporter gene functional polymorphism may confer susceptibility for affective disorder as well as for some cardiovascular risk factors. Taking into account these genetic findings, this article proposes a hypothesis that serotonin transporter gene functional polymorphism may be a plausible candidate gene to study the genetic mechanisms of depression-related increased vascular morbidity and mortality. Future research projects to test this hypothesis is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. rajamannar.ramasubbu@calgaryhealthregion.ca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramasubbu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000483:Alleles; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins