Serotonin-2A receptor gene is not associated with symptomatology of schizophrenia

The serotonin receptor type 2A (5-HT2A) is a primary candidate for involvem ent in major psychoses. Polymorphisms within the 5-HT2A gene have recently been reported to be associated with a variety of psychopathological conditi ons. In the present study, we investigated the potential influence of the T 102C polymorphism on the psychopathology of schizophrenia. One hundred eigh ty-eight inpatients affected by schizophrenia (DSM-III-R) were assessed by the Operational Criteria checklist for psychotic illness (OPCRIT) and were typed for their 5-HT2A variants by PCR techniques. Mania, depression, delus ion and disorganization were the four symptomatologic factors previously de rived from our psychotic population that were used to define phenotype in o ur sample. Genetic variants of the polymorphism under study were not associ ated with these symptomatologic factors, and consideration of possible stra tification effects such as sex and age of onset did not reveal any associat ion either. Our results do not, therefore, support the hypothesis that the serotonin receptor 2A gene is a liability factor for the symptomatology of schizophrenia as defined by the OPCRIT checklist, Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuro psychiatr. Genet;.) 96:84-87, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.