title: 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in bulimia nervosa:  a multiple-model meta-analysis.
abstract: Several lines of research have found that genes in the serotonergic system may cause susceptibility to eating disorders (EDs). In particular, functional polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT) have been suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of eating disorders. Several studies have examined the association between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and bulimia nervosa (BN). The results of these investigations have been unclear. The aims of this meta-analysis were to clarify the association between BN and 5-HTTLPR using statistical models not used by previous meta-analyses, and extend upon previous meta-analyses by including new samples. PsychINFO, ISI, and PubMed databases were searched for studies published up to May 2011. Ultimately, six case-control samples were included. Data were pooled using dominant and additive models. Both models showed a nonsignificant association between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and BN. However, this does not detract from recent research suggesting that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism may be responsible for the phenotypic variability in the psychopathological symptoms observed in patients with BN. Future research should examine the association of BN with 5-HTTLPR using the recently proposed triallelic model.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Gina N
authors: GN
authors: Polsinelli
authors: Robert N
authors: RN
authors: Levitan
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: De Luca
mesh_terms: D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000235:genetics*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017594:Publication Bias; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins