OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential contribution of the serotonin hydroxylase (TPH1 and TPH2) genes, and the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5HTTLPR) to the unique and pleiotropic risk of PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms. METHODS: Participants included 200 adults exposed to the 1988 Spitak earthquake from 12 multigenerational families (3 to 5 generations). Severity of trauma exposure, PTSD, and depressive symptoms were assessed using standard psychometric instruments. Pedigree-based variance component analysis was used to assess the association between select genes and the phenotypes. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex, exposure and environmental variables, there was a significant association of PTSD symptoms with the 't' allele of TPH1 SNP rs2108977 (p<0.004), explaining 3% of the phenotypic variance. This allele also showed a non-significant trend for an association with depressive symptoms (p=0.08). Also, there was a significant association of PTSD symptoms and the 't' allele of TPH2 SNP rs11178997 (p=0.03), explaining 4% of the variance. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with the 's' allele of 5HTTLPR (p=0.03), explaining 4% of the variance. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective rating of exposure may have been subject to memory failure leading to misestimation of symptom severities. Second, findings may not be generalizable to other ethnic/racial populations. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first published report showing that variants in TPH1 and TPH2 genes constitute risk factors for PTSD symptoms. Additionally, the TPH1 gene may be associated pleiotropically with PTSD and depressive symptoms. The association of the 's' allele of 5HTTLPR polymorphism with depression adds to similar findings from case/case-control studies.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential contribution of the serotonin hydroxylase (TPH1 and TPH2) genes, and the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5HTTLPR) to the unique and pleiotropic risk of PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms. METHODS:Participants included 200 adults exposed to the 1988 Spitak earthquake from 12 multigenerational families (3 to 5 generations). Severity of trauma exposure, PTSD, and depressive symptoms were assessed using standard psychometric instruments. Pedigree-based variance component analysis was used to assess the association between select genes and the phenotypes. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex, exposure and environmental variables, there was a significant association of PTSD symptoms with the 't' allele of TPH1 SNP rs2108977 (p<0.004), explaining 3% of the phenotypic variance. This allele also showed a non-significant trend for an association with depressive symptoms (p=0.08). Also, there was a significant association of PTSD symptoms and the 't' allele of TPH2 SNP rs11178997 (p=0.03), explaining 4% of the variance. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with the 's' allele of 5HTTLPR (p=0.03), explaining 4% of the variance. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective rating of exposure may have been subject to memory failure leading to misestimation of symptom severities. Second, findings may not be generalizable to other ethnic/racial populations. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first published report showing that variants in TPH1 and TPH2 genes constitute risk factors for PTSD symptoms. Additionally, the TPH1 gene may be associated pleiotropically with PTSD and depressive symptoms. The association of the 's' allele of 5HTTLPR polymorphism with depression adds to similar findings from case/case-control studies.
Authors: Michael B VanElzakker; M Kathryn Dahlgren; F Caroline Davis; Stacey Dubois; Lisa M Shin Journal: Neurobiol Learn Mem Date: 2013-12-07 Impact factor: 2.877
Authors: Elliot C Nelson; Andrew C Heath; Michael T Lynskey; Arpana Agrawal; Anjali K Henders; Lisa M Bowdler; Alexandre A Todorov; Pamela A F Madden; Elizabeth Moore; Louisa Degenhardt; Nicholas G Martin; Grant W Montgomery Journal: Addict Biol Date: 2013-05-06 Impact factor: 4.280
Authors: Kathleen Saavedra; Ana María Molina-Márquez; Nicolás Saavedra; Tomás Zambrano; Luis A Salazar Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2016-08-05 Impact factor: 5.923