Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms: Effect on serotonin transporter availability in the brain of suicide attempters

Bah, Jessica; Lindström, Mats; Westberg, Lars; Mannerås, Louise; Ryding, Erik; Henningsson, Susanne; Melke, Jonas; Rosén, Ingmar; Träskman-Bendz, Lil; Eriksson, Elias

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.07.004

« Previous Next »Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 162, Issue 3 , Pages 221-229, 15 April 2008

Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms: Effect on serotonin transporter availability in the brain of suicide attempters

Jessica Bah
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden
- Corresponding author. Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, POB 431, SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. Tel.: +46 31 773 34 48; fax: +46 31 82 10 85.
Mats Lindström
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Lund University, Sweden
Lars Westberg
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden
Louise Mannerås
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden
Erik Ryding
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Neurophysiology, Lund University, Sweden
Susanne Henningsson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden
Jonas Melke
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden
Ingmar Rosén
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Neurophysiology, Lund University, Sweden
Lil Träskman-Bendz
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Lund University, Sweden
Elias Eriksson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Sweden

Received 12 December 2006; received in revised form 11 May 2007; accepted 17 July 2007.

Abstract

The efficacy of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depression and anxiety disorders suggests the gene coding for the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), SLC6A4, as a candidate of importance for these conditions. Positive findings regarding associations between polymorphisms in SLC6A4 have been reported, indicating that these polymorphisms may influence anxiety-related personality traits, as well as the risk of developing depression and suicidality. Serotonin 5-HTT availability was assessed with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), using ¹²³I-β-CIT as ligand, in a population of unmedicated male suicide attempters (n=9) and in matched controls (n=9). Two polymorphisms in SLC6A4 were assessed, including the 5-HTTLPR located in the promoter region and a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in intron 2 (STin2). In suicide attempters, but not in controls, low 5-HTT availability was associated with the S allele of 5-HTTLPR and with the 12 repeat allele of STin2. Data suggest that polymorphisms in SLC6A4 may influence the expression of the brain serotonin transporter in suicide attempters.