title: Lack of association between the 5-HTTLPR and positive screening for mental disorders among children exposed to urban violence and maltreatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain whether genetic variations in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR 44-bp insertion/deletion polymorphism) influence an increase in depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents exposed to high levels of violence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Saliva samples were collected from a group of children who were working on the streets and from their siblings who did not work on the streets. DNA was extracted from the saliva samples and analyzed for 5-HTTLPR polymorphism genotypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-seven children between the ages of 7 and 14 years were analyzed (114 child workers and 63 siblings). Data on socioeconomic conditions, mental symptoms, and presence and severity of maltreatment and urban violence were collected using a sociodemographic inventory and clinical instruments. There was no positive correlation between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and presence of mental symptoms in our sample, although the children were exposed to high levels of abuse, neglect, and urban violence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite previous studies that associated adult psychiatric disorders with the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and a history of childhood maltreatment, no such association was found in this sample of children at risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giuliana C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Cividanes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andrea F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.affiliation: Ocular Genetic Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sallum
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health, USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fossaluza
authors.affiliation: Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio de
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Cavalcante-Nóbrega
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jair J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nina L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Valentte
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins