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Pharmacopsychiatry 2007; 40(5): 191-195
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-984464
Original Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Functional Cortical Effects of Novel Allelic Variants of the Serotonin Transporter Gene-linked Polymorphic Region (5-HTTLPR) in Humans

J. Gallinat 1 [*] , D. J. Müller 1 [*] , J. Bierbrauer 1 , H. Rommelspacher 2 , G. Juckel 1 , 3 , C. Wernicke 2
  • 1Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Medicine Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany
  • 2Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
  • 3Westfälisches Zentrum Bochum, Psychiatrie - Psychotherapie - Psychosomatik - Präventivmedizin, Klinik der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received 15.12.2006 revised 10.05.2007

accepted 22.05.2007

Publication Date:
17 September 2007 (online)

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Abstract

Introduction: Genetic variations of the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several psychiatric disorders. Recent evidence indicates that the biallelic polymorphic region (S and L allele) contains additional variations affecting the mRNA expression.

Methods: According to recent preclinical and clinical studies, the loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LD) was investigated as surrogate parameter for the central serotonergic activity in 185 healthy subjects subdivided according to newly identified 5-HTTLPR genotypes.

Results: Individuals homozygous for the LA allele showed the lowest LD of all genotypes suggesting a high serotonergic neurotransmission. The other observed genotypes (LA/LG, S/LA, S/LG, S/S) had an LD which was similar to each other but higher compared to the LA/LA genotype.

Discussion: The data provide a rationale to subdivide the L allele of the 5-HTTLPR into LA and LG alleles in terms of their serotonin activity as indicated by the LD. The present in vivo measurements provide a basis for grouping the LG and S alleles for further investigations.

Key words

Serotonin transporter - 5-HTTLPR - evoked potentials - loudness dependence - healthy volunteers

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1 Both authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence

PD Dr. J. Gallinat

Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik der Charité

im St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus

Örtlicher Bereich Moabit

Grosse Hamburger Straße 5-11

10115 Berlin

Germany

Phone: +49/30/23 11 29 69

Fax: +49/30/23 11 29 03

Email: juergen.gallinat@charite.de

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