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Association study of the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism and symptomatology and antidepressant response in major depressive disorders

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages 1115–1119 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) is the site of primary action for the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Previous Western reports have demonstrated that the lallele of the 5-HTT gene-linked polymorphic-region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism is associated with better SSRI antidepressive effects than the s allele, however, another study of a Korean population has produced a contrasting finding. The present study tested the hypothesis that the 5-HTTLPR genetic polymorphism is associated with SSRI antidepressant response by evaluating total and cluster depressive symptoms for 121 Chinese patients diagnosed with major depression. Analysis of the results reveals that patients with the l/l genotype had a significantly better response to SSRI (fluoxetine) when compared with s allele carriers, as evaluated on the basis of total (P = 0.013), core (P = 0.011), and psychic-anxiety (P = 0.005) and somatic-anxiety (P = 0.002) Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-score percentage change. Our findings confirm reports that the l allele is associated with better SSRI response.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grant DOH89-TD-1095 from the Department of Health, Taiwan, ROC and grant VGH89–398–15 from Veterans General Hospital-Taipei. The authors would like to thank Miss Shu-Chiung Chiang for her assistance in statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yu's Psychiatric Clinic, Kaohsiung, ROC, Taiwan

    Y W-Y Yu

  2. Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, ROC, Taiwan

    S-J Tsai & C-J Hong

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taipei, ROC, Taiwan

    S-J Tsai & C-J Hong

  4. Kai-Suan Psychiatric Hospital, Kaohsiung, ROC, Taiwan

    T-J Chen & C-H Lin

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  1. Y W-Y Yu
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  2. S-J Tsai
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  5. C-J Hong
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Correspondence to C-J Hong.

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Yu, YY., Tsai, SJ., Chen, TJ. et al. Association study of the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism and symptomatology and antidepressant response in major depressive disorders. Mol Psychiatry 7, 1115–1119 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001141

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001141

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