A systematic review of association studies investigating genes coding for serotonin receptors and the serotonin transporter: ii. Suicidal behavior
- Select a language for the TTS:
- UK English Female
- UK English Male
- US English Female
- US English Male
- Australian Female
- Australian Male
- Language selected: (auto detect) - EN
Play all audios:

ABSTRACT The different serotonin (5-HT) receptors, including the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), are excellent candidate genes for suicide and suicidal behavior, and thus, they have been
investigated in a large number of allelic association studies. The individual results of these studies have been inconsistent and definite conclusions are difficult to establish. A reliable
method for assessing individual studies and generating combined results is provided by systematic reviews using meta-analytical techniques. In this study, we carried out a systematic review
of studies investigating 5-HT receptors and the 5-HTT in suicidal behavior. Studies were identified by means of MEDLINE database searches and by scanning reference lists. More than 190
articles were reviewed and 26 met the inclusion criteria. In all, 14 studies investigated six different 5-HT receptor loci and 12 studies investigated the 5-HTT promoter 44 bp
insertion/deletion polymorphism. Two specific meta-analyses were carried out, pooling studies investigating the 5-HT2A 102 T/C and the 5-HTT promoter loci that included, respectively, a
total of 1599 and 2539 subjects. The combined evidence was significant for association with the 5-HTT locus (Mantel–Haenszel weighted odds ratio (M–Hw OR)=1.17 CI : 1.04–1.32, _P_=0.009),
but not for the 5-HT2A 102 T/C variant (M-Hw OR)=1.09 CI : 0.93–1.27, _P_=0.319). The 5-HTT result was robust and remained significant following sensitivity analysis, suggesting that 5-HTT
may play a role in the predisposition to suicide. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS
Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $259.00 per year only $21.58 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on
SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about
institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support REFERENCES * WHO World Health Report 2000. _Health Systems: Improving Performance_. WHO: Geneva, 2002. * Mann JJ . Role
of the serotonergic system in the pathogenesis of major depression and suicidal behavior. _Neuropsychopharmacology_ 1999; 21: 99S–105S. Article CAS Google Scholar * Turecki G . Suicidal
behavior: is there a genetic predisposition? _Bipolar Disord_ 2001; 3: 335–349. Article CAS Google Scholar * Lalovic A, Turecki G . Meta-analysis of the association between tryptophan
hydroxylase and suicidal behavior. _Am J Med Genet_ 2002; 114: 533–540. Article CAS Google Scholar * Mulrow CD . The medical review article: state of the science. _Ann Intern Med_ 1987;
106: 485–488. Article CAS Google Scholar * Mulrow CD . Rationale for systematic reviews. _BMJ_ 1994; 309: 597–599. Article CAS Google Scholar * Olkin I . Statistical and theoretical
considerations in meta-analysis. _J Clin Epidemiol_ 1995; 48: 133–146. Article CAS Google Scholar * Rosenthal R . Comparing and combining research results _._ 1984; 63–111. * Anguelova M,
Benkelfat C, Turecki G . A Systematic review of association studies investigating genes coding for serotonin receptors and transporter: I. Affective disorders. _Mol Psychiatry_ (In press).
* Fleiss J . Combining evidence from fourfold tables. In: _Statistical Methods for Rates and Proportions_. New York 1981; pp. 160–187. * Rosenthal R . Comparing and combining research
results. In _Meta-analytic procedures for Social Sciences_. Beverly Hills 1984: Sage Publications, pp 63–111. Google Scholar * Hedges LV, Olkin I . _Statistical Methods for Meta-analysis_.
Academic Press: Orlando, 1985. Google Scholar * Nishiguchi N, Shirakawa O, Ono H, Nishimura A, Nushida H, Ueno Y _et al_. Lack of an association between 5-HT1A receptor gene structural
polymorphisms and suicide victims. _Am J Med Genet_ 2002; 114: 423–425. Article Google Scholar * Nishiguchi N, Shirakawa O, Ono H, Nishimura A, Nushida H, Ueno Y _et al_. No evidence of an
association between 5HT1B receptor gene polymorphism and suicide victims in a Japanese population. _Am J Med Genet_ 2001; 105: 343–345. Article CAS Google Scholar * Huang YY, Grailhe R,
Arango V, Hen R, Mann JJ . Relationship of psychopathology to the human serotonin1B genotype and receptor binding kinetics in postmortem brain tissue. _Neuropsychopharmacology_ 1999; 21:
238–246. Article CAS Google Scholar * Turecki G, Briere R, Dewar K, Antonetti T, Lesage AD, Seguin M _et al_. Prediction of level of serotonin 2A receptor binding by serotonin receptor 2A
genetic variation in postmortem brain samples from subjects who did or did not commit suicide. _Am J Psychiatry_ 1999; 156: 1456–1458. CAS PubMed Google Scholar * Preuss UW, Koller G,
Bahlmann M, Soyka M, Bondy B . No association between suicidal behavior and 5-HT2A-T102C polymorphism in alcohol dependents. _Am J Med Genet_ 2000; 96: 877–878. Article CAS Google Scholar
* Du L, Faludi G, Palkovits M, Demeter E, Bakish D, Lapierre YD _et al_. Frequency of long allele in serotonin transporter gene is increased in depressed suicide victims. _Biol Psychiatry_
1999; 46: 196–201. Article CAS Google Scholar * Geijer T, Frisch A, Persson ML, Wasserman D, Rockah R, Michaelovsky E _et al_. Search for association between suicide attempt and
serotonergic polymorphisms. _Psychiatr Genet_ 2000; 10: 19–26. Article CAS Google Scholar * Bondy B, Kuznik J, Baghai T, Schule C, Zwanzger P, Minov C _et al_. Lack of association of
serotonin-2A receptor gene polymorphism (T102C) with suicidal ideation and suicide. _Am J Med Genet_ 2000; 96: 831–835. Article CAS Google Scholar * Arias B, Gasto C, Catalan R, Gutierrez
B, Pintor L, Fananas L . The 5-HT(2A) receptor gene 102T/C polymorphism is associated with suicidal behavior in depressed patients. _Am J Med Genet_ 2001; 105: 801–804. Article CAS Google
Scholar * Tsai SJ, Hong CJ, Hsu CC, Cheng CY, Liao WY, Song HL _et al_. Serotonin-2A receptor polymorphism (102T/C) in mood disorders. _Psychiatry Res_ 1999; 87: 233–237. Article CAS
Google Scholar * Zhang HY, Ishigaki T, Tani K, Chen K, Shih JC, Miyasato K _et al_. Serotonin2A receptor gene polymorphism in mood disorders. _Biol Psychiatry_ 1997; 41: 768–773. Article
CAS Google Scholar * Crawford J, Sutherland GR, Goldney RD . No evidence for association of 5-HT2A receptor polymorphism with suicide. _Am J Med Genet_ 2000; 96: 879–880. Article CAS
Google Scholar * Ono H, Shirakawa O, Nishiguchi N, Nishimura A, Nushida H, Ueno Y _et al_. Serotonin 2A receptor gene polymorphism is not associated with completed suicide. _J Psychiatr
Res_ 35: 173–176. Article CAS Google Scholar * Ohara K, Nagai M, Tsukamoto T, Tani K, Suzuki Y, Ohara K . 5-HT2A receptor gene promoter polymorphism—1438G/A and mood disorders.
_Neuroreport_ 1998; 9: 1139–1141. Article CAS Google Scholar * Faludi G, Du L, Palkovits M, Antal B, Sotonyi P, Hrdina PD . Serotonin transporter, serotonin-2A receptor and tryptophan
hydroxylase gene polymorphisms in depressed suicide victims. _Neurobiology (Bp)_ 2000; 8: 269–271. CAS Google Scholar * Fitch D, Lesage A, Seguin M, Trousignant M, Bankelfat C, Rouleau GA
_et al_. Suicide and the serotonin transporter gene. _Mol Psychiatry_ 2001; 6: 127–128. Article CAS Google Scholar * Bondy B, Erfurth A, de J, Kruger M, Meyer H . Possible association of
the short allele of the serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) with violent suicide. _Mol Psychiatry_ 2000; 5: 193–195. Article CAS Google Scholar * Rujescu D,
Giegling I, Sato T, Moeller HJ . A polymorphism in the promoter of the serotonin transporter gene is not associated with suicidal behavior. _Psychiatr Genet_ 2001; 11: 169–172. Article CAS
Google Scholar * Baca G, Vaquero C, Diaz S, Saiz R, Fernandez P, de L . A gender-specific association between the serotonin transporter gene and suicide attempts.
_Neuropsychopharmacology_ 2002; 26: 692–695. Article Google Scholar * Courtet P, Baud P, Abbar M, Boulenger JP, Castelnau D, Mouthon D _et al_. Association between violent suicidal
behavior and the low activity allele of the serotonin transporter gene. _Mol Psychiatry_ 2001; 6: 338–341. Article CAS Google Scholar * Bellivier F, Szoke A, Henry C, Lacoste J, Bottos C,
Nosten B _et al_. Possible association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphism and violent suicidal behavior in mood disorders. _Biol Psychiatry_ 2000; 48: 319–322. Article CAS
Google Scholar * Russ MJ, Lachman HM, Kashdan T, Saito T, Bajmakovic K . Analysis of catechol-O-methyltransferase and 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter polymorphisms in patients at risk for
suicide. _Psychiatry Res_ 2000; 93: 73–78. Article CAS Google Scholar * Preuss UW, Koller G, Soyka M, Bondy B . Association between suicide attempts and 5-HTTLPR-S-allele in
alcohol-dependent and control subjects: further evidence from a German alcohol-dependent inpatient sample. _Biol Psychiatry_ 2001; 50: 636–639. Article CAS Google Scholar * Gorwood P,
Batel P, Ades J, Hamon M, Boni C . Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior. _Biol Psychiatry_ 2000; 48: 259–264. Article CAS Google Scholar * Chong SA,
Lee WL, Tan CH, Tay AH, Chan AO, Tan EC . Attempted suicide and polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. _Psychiatry Res_ 2000; 97: 101–106.
Article CAS Google Scholar * Mann JJ, Huang YY, Underwood MD, Kassir SA, Oppenheim S, Kelly TM _et al_. A serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and prefrontal
cortical binding in major depression and suicide. _Arch Gen Psychiatry_ 2000; 57: 729–738. Article CAS Google Scholar * Lesch KP, Bengel D, Heils A, Sabol SZ, Greenberg BD, Petri S _et
al_. Association of anxiety-related traits with a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene regulatory region. _Science_ 1996; 274: 1527–1531. Article CAS Google Scholar * Mann JJ .
Role of the serotonergic system in the pathogenesis of major depression and suicidal behavior. _Neuropsychopharmacology_ 1999; 21: 99S–105S. Article CAS Google Scholar Download references
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank Alexandra Lalovic, Caroline Kim, Adolfo Sequeira, Iris Groisman, and Firoza Mamdani for their expert academic assistance. This study was partly funded by CIHR
Grant MOP-38078 and an AFSP grant. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Dougals Hospital Research Center, McGill University, Montreal, Canada M Anguelova & G Turecki * MUHC,
McGill University, Montreal, Canada C Benkelfat Authors * M Anguelova View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * C Benkelfat View author
publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * G Turecki View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Correspondence to G Turecki. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Anguelova, M., Benkelfat, C. & Turecki, G. A systematic review of
association studies investigating genes coding for serotonin receptors and the serotonin transporter: II. Suicidal behavior. _Mol Psychiatry_ 8, 646–653 (2003).
https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001336 Download citation * Received: 04 February 2003 * Revised: 04 February 2003 * Accepted: 06 February 2003 * Published: 22 July 2003 * Issue Date: 01 July
2003 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001336 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is
not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative KEYWORDS * suicide * suicide attempts * genetic association
studies * genetic polymorphisms * serotonin receptors * serotonin transporter