GENETIC-VARIATION OF THE 5-HT2A RECEPTOR GENE AND BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE-DISORDER

Abnormalities of the serotonergic system have classically been associa ted with the origin of affective disorders through the biochemical act ion of therapeutic agents and their role in affective and perceptual s tates. In the present study, we hypothesized that genetic variation in the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) type 2A (5-HT2A) receptor gene (H TR2A) might have an effect on the aetiology of bipolar affective disor der. Four different polymorphisms in the HTR2A gene were studied in 88 patients with bipolar affective disorder and 113 healthy controls, al l of Spanish origin. No significant association was observed between a ny of the four polymorphisms at the HTR2A locus, whether tested indivi dually or as haplotypes, and bipolar affective disorder. The lack of a ssociation suggests that HTR2A is not a major risk factor for bipolar affective disorder.