title: Contribution of an affect-associated gene to human longevity: prevalence of the long-allele genotype of the serotonin transporter-linked gene in Japanese centenarians.
abstract: Negative affect such as depression and anxiety has been reported to be associated with morbidity and mortality, and polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5HTT) gene may be associated with such affect disorders. Hypothesizing that 5HTT gene polymorphisms could influence human longevity via negative affect; we compared the polymorphic variation of the 5HTT gene between 265 Japanese centenarians and control subjects. In addition, we evaluated the relationships between the 5HTT genotype and the physical, cognitive, and biologic status of centenarians, as indicated by the Barthel Index, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and serum albumin concentration, respectively. The frequency of the l/l genotype and the l allele was significantly greater in centenarians than in younger control subjects, particularly women. A significant effect of the 5HTT genotype on serum albumin concentration was observed in both sexes. Although, there was sex optionality, the l allele may carry a longevity advantage possibly through behavioral mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan. ygondo@tmig.or.jp
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gondo
authors.forename: Nobuyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Yasumichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamura
authors.forename: Ken-Ichirou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Yukie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masui
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins