Lack of relationship between CO2 reactivity and serotonin transporter gene regulatory region polymorphism in panic disorder.
Changes in the function of the serotonergic system influence both panic phobic symptoms and carbon dioxide (CO2) reactivity in patients with panic disorder. Schmidt et al. [2000: J Abnorm Psychol 109(2):308-320] recently reported a predictive role of the genetic variants of the 5-HTTLPR on the fearful response to CO2 in healthy controls. We tested the hypothesis that the heterogeneity of CO2 reactivity in patients with panic disorder could be related to the allelic variation of the 5-HTT promoter. Ninety-five patients with panic disorder were challenged with 35% CO2. 5-HTTLPR allelic variation in each subject was determined using a PCR-based method. There were no differences for all the measures of CO2 reactivity among the genotype groups. CO2 reactivity of patients with panic disorder seems not to be influenced by the genetic variants of the 5-HTTLPR; this finding does not support a role for the serotonin transporter in the etiopathogenesis of CO2 reactivity in panic disorder.
Anxiety Disorders Clinical and Research Unit, Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy. perna.giampaolo@hsr.it
Giampaolo
G
Perna
Daniela
D
di Bella
Elisa
E
Favaron
Michele
M
Cucchi
Laura
L
Liperi
Laura
L
Bellodi
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D004247:DNA