title: How do genes exert their role? Period 3 gene variants and possible influences on mood disorder phenotypes.
abstract: The action of multiple liability genes is responsible for complex phenotypes at the same time, a single gene, could control several phenotypic features. This is the case of human period 3 gene (hper3), mainly involved in the setting of the biologic clock. Some variants of this gene, besides being associated with the Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome, showed a key role in determining evening preference rather than morning one. According to this rationale, we hypothesized that this gene could influence circadian mood fluctuations, in mood disorders. Our study demonstrated that rare genetic variants of hper3 are significantly associated to a number of mood disorders features, such as age of onset, response to SSRIs treatment, circadian mood oscillations and characteristics of temperament. These preliminary results could shed further light on the involvement of circadian genes in various aspects of physiological and psychopathological mechanisms of the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Vita-Salute University, San Raffaele Hospital Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Artioli
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lorenzi
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirovano
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serretti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smeraldi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D021081:Chronobiology Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D010641:Phenotype; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C512644:PER3 protein, human; D056950:Period Circadian Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors