Significance of serotonin transporter gene 5-HTTLPR and variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and polymorphism of the two regions of the 5-HTT gene [variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) and 5-HTTLRR] in a sample of Turkish children. Using the PCR technique, these polymorphisms were assessed in 71 patients with ADHD and 128 healthy controls. The 5-HTTLPR S/S genotype was significantly lower in the patients than in the controls (p = 0.018). Homozygous and heterozygous L variant predominated in the ADHD group. But the VNTR STin2.12/12 genotype was significantly less found in the patients than in the controls (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the frequency of the short (S), long, 10, and 12 alleles of both groups. The lack of an S/S variant of 5-HTTLPR polymorphism of the STin2.12/12 variant of VNTR polymorphism appears to be associated with an increased risk of ADHD. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel