title: ACE polymorphism and response to electroconvulsive therapy in major depression.
abstract: The angiotensin I-converting enzyme gene (ACE) has been repeatedly suggested as a major gene affecting affective disorders and their treatment, but the study results have been ambiguous so far. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the ACE genotype distributions and treatment response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The association in ACE genotypes and the age at onset of depression was also analyzed and these gene distributions were also compared between patients and healthy controls. The study included 119 treatment-resistant MDD patients who were referred to ECT treatment, and 392 voluntary blood donors as controls. All participants were tested for their ACE genotype, and all study patients were evaluated both before and after treatment. The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS) was used as a primary efficacy evaluating method. The ACE genotype was not associated in treatment results for MDD. However, younger onset age of primary depression was associated with the I/D genotype in the whole patient group. The finding was partly gender dependent; in male patients the I allele carried a higher risk of earlier depression onset age, while in female patients the higher risk was seen only in the heterozygous I/D allele carriers. Distributions of these genotypes or alleles did not differ between patients and controls. The studied ACE genotype was not associated with ECT results but may be associated with age of onset of the illness in patients with MDD.
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, Medical School, 33014 Tampere, Finland. juhani.stewart@uta.fi
authors.forename: Juhani Akseli
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kampman
authors.forename: Martti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huuhka
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anttila
authors.forename: Kaija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huuhka
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.forename: Esa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leinonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012016:Reference Values; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004247:DNA; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A