title: No Influence of a functional polymorphism within the serotonin transporter gene on partial sleep deprivation in major depression.
abstract: Sleep deprivation exerts transient antidepressant efficacy. As a potential mechanism of action an enhancement of serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission within the CNS is discussed. Because genetic variations influencing neurotransmission could have an impact on therapeutic outcome and stability of improvement, we investigated the functional polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene, the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), to examine the serotonergic pathway. We included 56 patients with major depression (DSM-IV). Psychiatric ratings including the HAM-D21 and HAM-D6 scale were assessed on the day prior to partial sleep deprivation (PSD) and on day 1 and 2 after PSD and related to the different genotypes. The 5-HTTLPR variants were determined following PCR amplification using genomic DNA. 58.1% of the patients were responders to PSD. A significant overall reduction in depression scores could be observed on day 1. Subdivision according 5-HTTLPR gene variants showed no differences in clinical outcome on day 1. As expected the therapeutical effect of PSD was only transient and most patients experienced an exacerbation of depressive symptoms on day 2. 5-HTTLPR variants had no influence on reduction of depressive symptoms on day 2 or relapse on day 3. Thus, the previously reported influence of the serotonin transporter gene on PSD outcome in bipolar depression could not be confirmed in unipolar depressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336 Munich, Germany. baghai@psy.med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Baghai
authors.forename: Cornelius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schule
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zwanzger
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zill
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ella
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eser
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deiml
authors.forename: Christo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minov
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rupprecht
authors.forename: Brigitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bondy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors
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; D004247:DNA