Male-specific association between the 5-HTTLPR S allele and suicide attempts in alcohol-dependent subjects.
Changes in serotoninergic neurotransmission have been implicated in the pathogenesis of suicidal behavior and alcohol dependence. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between suicide attempts and the 5-HTTLPR S allele in alcohol-dependent subjects. We investigated the frequency of the S allele of 5-HTTLPR in a sample of 100 French Caucasian alcohol-dependent inpatients (48 men and 52 women) with and without a history of suicide attempts. The frequencies of 5-HTTLPR genotypes did not differ significantly between men and women. A history of at least one suicide attempt was more frequent in women than in men (57.5% versus 31.3%, respectively, p=0.008). Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of the S allele of 5-HTTLPR was related to a life-time risk of suicide attempts, but only in male subjects (p=0.05). There seems to be an allelic association between the 5-HTTLPR S allele and suicidal behavior in alcohol-dependent subjects, but this relationship is restricted to male subjects.
Limosin
Frédéric
F
Department of Psychiatry, Albert Chenevier Hospital, 40, rue de Mesly, F-94000 Créteil, France. frederic.limosin@ach.ap-hop.paris.fr
Loze
Jean-Yves
JY
Boni
Claudette
C
Hamon
Michel
M
Adès
Jean
J
Rouillon
Frédéric
F
Gorwood
Philip
P
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins