Antidepressive response to sleep deprivation in unipolar depression is notassociated with dopamine D3 receptor genotype

The psychostimulant theory of antidepressive sleep deprivation (SD) propose s a contribution of dopamine D3 receptors (DRD3) in the limbic system to th e antidepressant effects of SD. Neuroendocrinological studies suggest a pos itive correlation of clinical response to SD and cortisol secretion, We hyp othesized that the clinical response to SD and amount of cortisol secretion upon SD is associated with the 1-1 genotype of the Ball polymorphism of DR D3 on exon 1, In this study, aiming at evaluating the feasibility of screen ing large patient samples, 52 inpatients (19 males/33 females) with unipola r depression and a score of 18 or more on the 21-item Hamilton Depression R ating Scale were treated with 1 night of total SD. We found th at 31% of ou r patients responded to SD, There was no association between response to SD and the genotype of the DRD3 Ball polymorphism (p < 0.879). There was also no association between increase in cortisol secretion after SD and DRD3 ge notypes (p < 1.000) in a subgroup of patients. Statistical power analysis r uled out a major effect of the DRD3 Ball polymorphism on clinical response to SD. These results suggest that the DRD3 Ball polymorphism is not a promi sing lead to be followed up in larger patient samples. Copyright (C) 2001 S . Karger AG. Basel.