5-HT2A receptor gene polymorphisms in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

To examine the distribution of different polymorphisms in genes of the 5-HT system in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN), we analyzed the distribution of a polymorphism (-1438G/A) and the presence of known mutations in 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor genes in 168 Italian female patients affected by AN and BN. Patients with AN restricting type (ANr) onl y, unlike those with AN binge eating/purging type (ANp) and BN purging type (BNp), showed a statistically significant difference in 5-HT2A-1438A/A gen otype frequency with respect to controls. With regard to the other polymorp hisms, no differences were found In the studied groups with respect to cont rols. 5-HT2A promoter polymorphism is probably implicated in the susceptibi lity to earing disorders and its involvement is more significant in ANr, wh en compared with ANp and BNp. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Irelan d Ltd. All rights reserved.