F. Bellivier et al., ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE TRYPTOPHAN-HYDROXYLASE GENE AND MANIC-DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS, Archives of general psychiatry, 55(1), 1998, pp. 33-37
Background: Genes encoding proteins involved in serotonergic metabolis
m are major candidates in association studies of mood disorders and su
icidal behavior. This association study explores whether the tryptopha
n hydroxylase (TPH) gene, which codes for the rate-limiting enzyme of
serotonin biosynthesis, is a susceptibility factor for manic-depressiv
e illness, with or without a history of suicide attempts. Methods: The
TPH intron 7 A218C polymorphism was determined using a polymerase cha
in reaction-based method in DNA samples from 152 patients with bipolar
disorder and 94 healthy control subjects. Results: There was a signif
icant association between TPH genotypes and manic-depressive illness.
Among patients with bipolar disorder, no association was found between
TPH alleles and suicidal behavior. Conclusions: This result suggests
the involvement of the TPH gene in susceptibility to manic-depressive
illness. This preliminary result requires confirmation in further grou
ps of patients and controls.