title: Candidate-gene approach in posttraumatic stress disorder after urban violence: association analysis of the genes encoding serotonin transporter, dopamine transporter, and BDNF.
abstract: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent, disabling anxiety disorder marked by behavioral and physiologic alterations which commonly follows a chronic course. Exposure to a traumatic event constitutes a necessary, but not sufficient, factor. There is evidence from twin studies supporting a significant genetic predisposition to PTSD. However, the precise genetic loci still remain unclear. The objective of the present study was to identify, in a case-control study, whether the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) val66met polymorphism (rs6265), the dopamine transporter (DAT1) three prime untranslated region (3'UTR) variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR), and the serotonin transporter (5-HTTPRL) short/long variants are associated with the development of PTSD in a group of victims of urban violence. All polymorphisms were genotyped in 65 PTSD patients as well as in 34 victims of violence without PTSD and in a community control group (n = 335). We did not find a statistical significant difference between the BDNF val66met and 5-HTTPRL polymorphism and the traumatic phenotype. However, a statistical association was found between DAT1 3'UTR VNTR nine repeats and PTSD (OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.20-2.76). This preliminary result confirms previous reports supporting a susceptibility role for allele 9 and PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu 431, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-061, São Paulo, Brazil. ninav@ig.com.br
authors.forename: Nina Leão Marques
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.forename: Homero
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vallada
authors.forename: Quirino
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miguita
authors.forename: Rodrigo Affonseca
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bressan
authors.forename: Sergio Baxter
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Andreoli
authors.forename: Jair Jesus
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.forename: Marcelo Feijó
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mello
mesh_terms: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins