Association of unipolar major depressive disorder with genes of the serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways

A Frisch; D Postilnick; R Rockah; E Michaelovsky; S Postilnick; E Birman; N Laor; B Rauchverger; A Kreinin; M Poyurovsky; M Schneidman; I Modai; R Weizman

doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4000536

Association of unipolar major depressive disorder with genes of the serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways

Mol Psychiatry. 1999 Jul;4(4):389-92. doi: 10.1038/sj.mp.4000536.

Authors

A Frisch¹, D Postilnick, R Rockah, E Michaelovsky, S Postilnick, E Birman, N Laor, B Rauchverger, A Kreinin, M Poyurovsky, M Schneidman, I Modai, R Weizman

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel.

PMID: 10483058
DOI: 10.1038/sj.mp.4000536

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe psychiatric disorder with a lifetime prevalence of about 15%.1 The importance of the genetic component is well accepted,2 but the mode of inheritance is complex and non-Mendelian. A line of evidence suggests the involvement of serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitters in the pathophysiology of depression. In the present study, 102 unipolar MDD patients and 172 healthy controls were genotyped for polymorphisms in four serotonergic and three dopaminergic candidate genes [tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), serotonin receptor 2A (HTR2A), serotonin receptor 2C (HTR2C), serotonin transporter promoter region (5-HTTLPR), dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4), dopamine transporter (DAT1) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT)]. There were no statistical differences between MDD patients and healthy controls in the genotypic and allelic distribution of all polymorphisms investigated. Thus, our study does not support a major role for these polymorphisms in contributing to susceptibility to MDD, although it does not preclude minor effects.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alleles
Carrier Proteins / genetics
Catechol O-Methyltransferase / genetics
Depressive Disorder / genetics*
Dopamine / metabolism*
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
Europe / ethnology
Female
Genotype
Humans
Israel
Jews / genetics*
Male
Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
Membrane Transport Proteins*
Nerve Tissue Proteins*
Polymorphism, Genetic*
Promoter Regions, Genetic
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C
Receptors, Dopamine D2 / genetics
Receptors, Dopamine D4
Receptors, Serotonin / genetics
Reference Values
Serotonin / metabolism*
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
Tryptophan Hydroxylase / genetics

Substances

Carrier Proteins
DRD4 protein, human
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
Membrane Glycoproteins
Membrane Transport Proteins
Nerve Tissue Proteins
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C
Receptors, Dopamine D2
Receptors, Serotonin
SLC6A3 protein, human
SLC6A4 protein, human
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
Receptors, Dopamine D4
Serotonin
Tryptophan Hydroxylase
Catechol O-Methyltransferase
Dopamine