Citation

Baca-Garcia E, Salgado BR, Segal HD, Lorenzo CV, Acosta MN, Romero MA, Hernández MD, Saiz-Ruiz J, Fernandez Piqueras J, De Leon J. Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry 2005; 29(5): 713-717.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.pnpbp.2005.04.019

PMID

15908092

Abstract

According to some authors the obsessive-compulsive (OC) spectrum includes on one extreme, the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and on the other extreme the most impulsive behaviors. This is a controversial idea and other authors define the OC spectrum in different ways. The serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene is one of the main genes that control serotonergic function. A polymorphism in the promoter area of this gene classifies subjects with low expression as S individuals (s/s or s/l) and subjects with high expression as L individuals (l/l). This polymorphism was studied in female OCD patients (n = 24), non-impulsive controls (n = 112) and impulsive suicidal patients (n = 118) to support the OC spectrum hypothesis from a genetic perspective. A linear association exists among the serotonin transporter promoter functional genotypes (S versus L individuals) (chi2 linear by linear association = 8.9; df = 1; p = 0.003). The frequency of S individuals (s/l or s/s) was lowest in OCD (54%, 13/24); intermediate in non-impulsive controls (71%, 80/112) and highest in impulsive suicide attempters (82%, 96/117). More importantly, future studies need to consider that genetics may be related to behavioral dimensions (compulsivity to impulsivity) instead of to specific psychiatric disorders defined in clinical terms.

Language: en