title: Sucrose preload reduces snacking after mild mental stress in healthy participants as a function of 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter gene promoter polymorphism.
abstract: Brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) dysfunction is considered to promote food intake and eating-related disturbances, especially under stress or negative mood. Vulnerability for 5-HT disturbances is considered to be genetically determined, including a short (S) allele polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) that is associated with lower serotonin function. Since 5-HT function may be slightly increased by carbohydrate consumption, S-allele 5-HTTLPR carriers in particular may benefit from a sugar-preload due to their enhanced 5-HT vulnerability. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether a sugar-containing preload may reduce appetite and energy intake after exposure to stress to induce negative mood, depending on genetic 5-HT vulnerability. From a population of 771 healthy young male and female genotyped college students 31 S/S carriers (8 males, 23 females) and 26 long allele (L/L) carriers (9 males, 17 females) (mean ± S.D. 22 ± 1.6 years; body mass index, BMI, 18-33 kg/m(2)) were monitored for changes in appetite and snacking behavior after stress exposure. Results revealed an increased energy intake after mild mental stress (negative mood) mainly for high-fat sweet foods, which was significantly greater in S/S carriers, and only in these genotypes this intake was significantly reduced by a sucrose-containing preload. Although alternative explanations are possible, it is suggested that S/S participants may have enhanced brain (hypothalamic) 5-HT responsiveness to food that makes them more susceptible to the beneficial satiation effects of a sucrose-preload as well as to the negative effects of mild mental stress on weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychology & Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience and.
authors.forename: C Rob
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Markus
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Jonkman
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capello
authors.forename: Sacha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leinders
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hüsch
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D000483:Alleles; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D062410:Snacks; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
keywords: 5-HTTLPR; mild stress; mood; serotonin; snacking; sucrose