Analysis of the normative conditions of oral health, depression and serotonin-transporter-linked promoter region polymorphisms in an elderly population.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between depression, the normative conditions of oral health and serotonin-transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms in a community-dwelling elderly sample.


METHODS
Elderly adults living in a community (n=200) were submitted to an oral clinical examination. Depression was assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. The 5-HTTLPR was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Associations between the biomarkers and clinical covariates were assessed by bivariate and multivariate statistical tests. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.


RESULTS
The prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism and oral mucosal lesions was 51.2%, 20.8%, 58.0% and 21.5%, respectively. The prevalence of depression was 21.5%. A higher frequency of the S allele was recorded in older individuals with depression (P=0.017). The present findings showed no significant association between depression and the normative conditions of oral health. The observed allelic polymorphisms were 44% S and 56% L, respectively. Genotypic variants were 33.5% LL, 45.0% SL and 21.5% SS. Individuals carrying the SS genotype showed a significantly high prevalence of periodontal disease (prevalence ratio=3.077, CI 95%=1.008-9.393, P=0.048).


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings suggest that depressive community-dwelling older individuals did not show any association with alterations of oral health normative conditions. However, the SS genotypic polymorphic variant of 5-HTTLPR seems to contribute to the occurrence of periodontal disease in the elderly.
Health Science Programme, Health Research Laboratory, State University of Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Danilo Cangussu
DC
Mendes
Thiago Fonseca
TF
Silva
Lucas de Oliveira
Lde O
Barros
Marcos Vinícius Macêdo
MV
de Oliveira
Leonardo Tadeu
LT
Vieira
Desirée Sant'Ana
DS
Haikal
André Luiz Sena
AL
Guimarães
Alfredo Maurício Batista
AM
De Paula
D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D009909:Oral Health; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins