5HTR2A gene polymorphism and some clinical pathogenetic characteristics inpatients with schizophrenia and schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Serotonin receptor 5HTR2A gene polymorphism was reported to be associated w ith psychiatric disorders, in particular schizophrenia, in numerous studies . This study aimed to analyse a possible association between 5HTR2A gene po lymorphism and clinical and pathogenetic characteristics in schizophrenia a nd schizophrenia spectrum disorders. We studied 209 individuals with schizo phrenia and related disorders (107 male and 202 female, mean age 34,7+/-17, 2 years) and 116 healthy controls (44 males, 72 females, mean age = 33,6+/- 14,4 years). Diagnoses were made according diagnostic criteria of ICD-10. p ositive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) assessed clinical symptoms. Sig nificant difference (p<0,01) was found for 5HTR2A genotype distribution bet ween affected and control groups, The frequencies of genotypes A1A1, A1A2 a nd A2A2 for schizophrenia were 13,3%, 44,0% and 42,7%, respectively, versus 33%, 47% and 27% in controls. These results support the evidence for assoc iation between 5HTR2A A2A2 genotype and schizophrenia. Schizophrenics with A2A2 genotype were characterized by significantly higher mean values of the PANSS negative symptoms subscale than those with A1A1 genotype [22,6 vs 17 ,8; p<0,05) and, consequently, by majority of deficit patients and patients with more severe forms of schizophrenia, Patients with AIR? genotype were younger compare to those with A2A2 genotypes and had the least familial fac tors (35,7% vs 46,1%). In agreement with the results obtained in the study the 5HTR2A gene polymorphism appears to be considered as additional diagnos tic or prognostic trait in the medical generic studies of schizophrenia.