title: Meta-analysis of the association of a functional serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism with alcohol dependence.
abstract: The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) has been shown to regulate alcohol consumption in both animals and humans. Since activity of the 5-HT transporter protein (5-HTT) regulates 5-HT levels, the gene encoding this protein may contribute to the risk of alcohol dependence (AD). Studies of the association to AD of a functional insertion-deletion polymorphism in the 5-HTT-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) have yielded inconsistent results. We conducted a meta-analysis of data from 17 published studies (including 3,489 alcoholics and 2,325 controls) investigating the association between 5-HTTLPR alleles and AD. The frequency of the short (S) allele at 5-HTTLPR was significantly associated with AD [odds ratio (OR) = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.03-1.33). Moreover, a greater association with the S allele was seen among individuals with AD complicated by either a co-morbid psychiatric condition or an early-onset or more severe AD subtype [OR = 1.34 (95% CI = 1.11-1.63)]. Allelic variation at 5-HTTLPR contributes to risk for AD, with the greatest effect observed among individuals with a co-occurring clinical feature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Alcohol Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-2103, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feinn
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nellissery
authors.forename: Henry R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kranzler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins