Association of serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms with poststroke depression.
BACKGROUND
Polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene (SERT) have been associated with mental illness. In people with long-term medical conditions, variants of the 5-HTTLPR and STin2 VNTR polymorphisms of SERT have been shown to confer a heightened vulnerability to comorbid depression.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the 5-HTTLPR, STin2 VNTR, and rs25531 polymorphisms of SERT are associated with poststroke depression (PSD) in stroke survivors.


METHODS
A case-control study in which stroke survivors were screened for depressive symptoms and assigned to either a depressed group or a nondepressed group.


METHODS
Outpatient clinic.


METHODS
Seventy-five stroke survivors with PSD and 75 nondepressed stroke survivors.


METHODS
Blood or saliva samples were collected from each participant for DNA extraction and genotyping.


METHODS
The associations between the 5-HTTLPR, STin2 VNTR, and rs25531 polymorphisms and PSD.


RESULTS
Individuals with the 5-HTTLPR s/s genotype had 3-fold higher odds of PSD compared with l/l or l/xl genotype carriers (odds ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-8.3). Participants with the STin2 9/12 or 12/12 genotype had 4-fold higher odds of PSD compared with STin2 10/10 genotype carriers (odds ratio, 4.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-13.6). An association of rs25531 with PSD was not shown.


CONCLUSIONS
The 5-HTTLPR and the STin2 VNTR, but not the rs25531, polymorphisms of SERT are associated with PSD in stroke survivors. This gives further evidence of a role of SERT polymorphisms in mediating resilience to biopsychosocial stress.
Kohen
Ruth
R
Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 S Columbian Way, Seattle,WA 98108, USA. ruko@u.washington.edu
Cain
Kevin C
KC
Mitchell
Pamela H
PH
Becker
Kyra
K
Buzaitis
Ann
A
Millard
Steven P
SP
Navaja
Grace P
GP
Teri
Linda
L
Tirschwell
David
D
Veith
Richard
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology
C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins