Serotonin-1A receptor gene polymorphism and the ability of antipsychotic drugs to improve attention in schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine if the functional single nucleotide polymorphisms of rs6259 C(-1019)G in the promoter region, which regulates serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptor transcription, affects the ability of antipsychotic drugs to improve attention in patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
Subjects were neuroleptic-free and meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizophrenia. Psychopathology and attention were evaluated with the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) at baseline and 3 months after treatment with atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs). DNA was extracted from peripheral blood following standard procedures. Genotyping was performed with HS-Taq assay (LaboPass).


RESULTS
Data were available from 30 subjects (male/female=19/11), in which 17 had the CC genotype, three had the GG genotype, and 10 were heterozygous. The 3-month treatment with AAPDs was associated with significant improvements in positive and negative symptoms, but not attention as measured by SANS-Attention subscale in the entire subject group. There were no significant differences in the degree of improvements of SAPS and SANS scores between the CC genotype group and the (C/G plus G/G) combined group. On the other hand, improvement of attention was significantly greater for the former group compared to the latter group (P<0.016), suggesting a detrimental influence of the G-allele.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide additional support to the role of 5-HT(1A) receptors in some of the cognitive disturbances of schizophrenia. Further studies with a larger number of subjects are warranted.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Toyama Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama 930-0194, Japan. tomikisumiyoshi840@hotmail.com
Tomiki
T
Sumiyoshi
Masahiko
M
Tsunoda
Yuko
Y
Higuchi
Toru
T
Itoh
Tomonori
T
Seo
Hiroko
H
Itoh
Michio
M
Suzuki
Masayoshi
M
Kurachi
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000235:genetics*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A