NO ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE SEROTONIN TRANSPORTER-LINKED PROMOTER REGION POLYMORPHISM AND EITHER SCHIZOPHRENIA OR DENSITY OF THE SEROTONIN TRANSPORTER IN HUMAN HIPPOCAMPUS

Background: Allelic association case-control analysis of a deletion/in sertion polymorphism in the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic r egion (5-HTTLPR) has suggested associations with unipolar disorder, bi polar disorder, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, the het erozygous long form of the 5-HTTLPR has been associated with increased levels of mRNA for the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and increased se rotonin uptake in lymphoblastic cell lines. This study attempts to det ermine whether there is an association between 5-HTTLPR genotype and s chizophrenia or the binding of [H-3]paroxetine to the human hippocampa l 5-HTT. Materials and Methods: DNA from the cerebellum from 58 schizo phrenic and 62 control subjects was used to genotype the 5-HTTLPR. In addition, the relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotype and the affinity and density of [H-3]paroxetine binding to the hippocampal 5-HTT was as sessed. Results: There were no associations between 5-HTTLPR allotype or genotype and/or the parameters of [H-3]paroxetine binding to the hi ppocampal 5-HTT. Conclusions: Our data suggest that 5-HTTLPR genotype neither confers an increased susceptibility for schizophrenia nor dict ates the expression of the 5-HTT in the human hippocampus.