Availability of the serotonin transporter in patients with alcohol dependence.
OBJECTIVE
Evidence has suggested that the serotonin transporter (SERT) plays a role in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence, anxiety and depression and that polymorphisms of the serotonin-transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) may influence the SERT. This study evaluated the differences in SERT availability between healthy controls and alcoholic patients and the impact of 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms on SERT availability.


METHODS
Eleven healthy controls and 28 alcoholic patients were recruited. SERT availability was measured in vivo with single photon emission computed tomography and (123)I-labelled 2-((2-((dimethyl-amino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine in the midbrain, thalamus and striatum. Each subject was genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism.


RESULTS
Compared to healthy controls, there was a significantly lower availability of SERT in the midbrain among patients with pure alcohol dependence (pure ALC). Of patients with anxiety, depression and alcohol dependence (ANX/DEPALC), the carriers of one L(A) allele showed a significantly higher availability of SERT in the striatum compared to non-L(A) carriers. After Bonferroni correction, these significances vanished. There were no significant differences in SERT availability between controls and ANX/DEP ALC.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that pure alcoholics may have lower SERT availability in the midbrain; the 5HTTLPR polymorphism may influence SERT availability in ANX/DEP ALC. These findings may serve as a springboard for future large-scale studies.
Ho
Pei-Shen
PS
Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Shih
Mei-Chen
MC
Ma
Kuo-Hsing
KH
Huang
Wen-Sheng
WS
Ho
Kellen Kai-Jen
KK
Yen
Che-Hung
CH
Lu
Ru-Band
RB
Huang
San-Yuan
SY
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins