ABSTRACT
The genes involved in the serotonin system are major candidates in association studies on affective disorders and responses to antidepressants. We studied a functional polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene (a 44 bp insertion/deletion in the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR)) and lifetime history of antidepressant-induced mania (AIM) in a population of 305 patients with bipolar affective disorder. AIM was defined using a broad definition and a restrictive definition. No association was found between the ‘s’ allele of the 5-HTTLPR and AIM for either definition. However, we found an association between the 5-HTTLPR and lifetime history of rapid cycling in a subsample of patients (for allele and genotype distributions: exact probability, p=0.0009 and χ2=9.4; df=1; p=0.002, respectively). These results may help to explain the conflicting association results obtained with the 5-HTT gene polymorphism, in particular with AIM. Indeed, the precise phenotype associated with the 5-HTT gene is unclear. The association between the ‘s’ allele and rapid cycling may provide further evidence for an association between the 5-HTTLPR ‘s’ allele and a pattern of affective instability.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by grants from Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (CRC), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (FB, poste d'accueil INSERM) and Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique (31-53849.98 and 32-66793.01 to AM).
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Rousseva, A., Henry, C., van den Bulke, D. et al. Antidepressant-induced mania, rapid cycling and the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism. Pharmacogenomics J 3, 101–104 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.tpj.6500156
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.tpj.6500156
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