Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 91, Issue 1 , Pages 39-44, March 2006

Association between serotonergic candidate genes and specific phenotypes of obsessive compulsive disorder

  • Damiaan Denys

      Affiliations

    • Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. UMC, (B.01.206), P.O. Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 30 250 7472; fax: +31 30 250 5443.
    • ,
  • Filip Van Nieuwerburgh

      Affiliations

    • Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    • ,
  • Dieter Deforce

      Affiliations

    • Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    • ,
  • Herman G.M. Westenberg

      Affiliations

    • Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Received 5 November 2005; received in revised form 9 December 2005; accepted 9 December 2005.

Abstract 

Background

The successful use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) has led to the hypothesis that serotonin plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of OCD. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and serotonin 5-HT1B and 5-HT2A receptor genes in OCD.

Method

The distribution of polymorphic variants was analyzed in 156 OCD cases and 134 control individuals by means of case–control association studies. Potential relevant OCD phenotypes founded on age of onset, positive family history for OCD, clinical subtypes, comorbidity and symptom severity were stratified according to 5-HTT, 5-HT1B and 5-HT2A genotypes.

Results

Patients did not show significant differences in genotype distribution and allele frequency for polymorphisms investigated relative to controls. However, taking in account OCD phenotypes, we found indication towards an association of the 5-HTTLPR S-allele with female OCD patients, and the 5-HT2A G-allele and GG genotype with patients with a positive family history of OCD and an early onset of disease.

Conclusions

Our data yields interesting preliminary results as regards the genetic underpinnings of OCD phenotypes that warrant further discussion and investigation.

Keywords: Obsessive compulsive disorder, Genetics, Association studies, Serotonin

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PII: S0165-0327(05)00382-4

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2005.12.011

Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 91, Issue 1 , Pages 39-44, March 2006

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