Abstract
The serotonin transporter gene (SERT) plays an important role in the serotonin uptake into neurons, Recently, several polymorphisms including a variable-number-tandem-repeat (VNTR) in the second intron and an insertion/deletion polymorphism (5-HTT linked polymorphic region, 5-HTTLPR) were identified and reported to be associated with a variety of mental illnesses, including major depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety-related traits, and autism, in our study, we performed an association study between the SERT VNTR polymorphism and schizophrenia (n = 260), bipolar disorder (n = 137), and unipolar depression (n = 33) in the Han Chinese. A large group of ethnically matched control individuals (n = 362) were also genotyped. Allele 12 of the VNTR polymorphism was associated with schizophrenia (P = 0.007) and unipolar depression (P = 0.011). Bipolar disorder was not associated with the VNTR (P = 0.93). Thus, we conclude that the SERT VNTR polymorphism may be a risk factor for both schizophrenia and unipolar depression, but not for bipolar disorder, in the Halt Chinese. Pharmacogenetics 9:491-495 (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 491-495 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Pharmacogenetics |
Volume | 9 |
Publication status | Published - 1999 |
Keywords
- bipolar disorder
- Han-Chinese
- schizophrenia
- serotonin transporter
- VNTR
- unipolar depression
- GENE POLYMORPHISMS
- TANDEM REPEAT
- 5-HTT GENE
- SUSCEPTIBILITY