title: Monoamine oxidase A gene polymorphism and suicide: an association study and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abnormalities in brain monoamine transmission have been implicated in the pathogenesis of suicidal behavior. Studies examining the association between monoamine oxidase A (MAOA)-uVNTR polymorphism and suicide revealed inconsistent findings. This study aims to evaluate the possible association between the MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism and suicidal behaviors by examining our own subjects and conducting a meta-analytic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  373 unrelated psychiatric patients (including 160 suicide attempters and 213 non-suicide attempters) were genotyped for the MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism. A meta-analysis was then performed by pooling data from seven case-control association studies by random effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results indicate that there is no association between the MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism and suicide attempts in both genders. It also reveals that there is no association with violent suicide attempts. In the meta-analysis, there is no association between the polymorphism and suicidal behaviors. Also, there is no difference in the allelic distribution between psychiatric patients with and without suicidal behaviors. Limitations Our study was constrained by the insufficient information about environmental risk factors of suicide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study is the first one to use meta-analysis in exploring the role of the MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism in suicidal behavior in psychiatric patients. No significant association was found in our study, suggesting MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism is unlikely to contribute significantly to suicide behavior. Further studies investigating the gene-environment interaction or focusing on the genetic risk factors of endophenotypes of suicidal behaviors are warranted.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors: Chi-Fa
authors: CF
authors: Hung
authors: For-Wey
authors: FW
authors: Lung
authors: Tai-Hsin
authors: TH
authors: Hung
authors: Mian-Yoon
authors: MY
authors: Chong
authors: Ching-Kuan
authors: CK
authors: Wu
authors: Jung-Kwang
authors: JK
authors: Wen
authors: Pao-Yen
authors: PY
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D016341:Genes, vif; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013405:Suicide; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
chemical_list: D008995:Monoamine Oxidase