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Hippocampal volume and serotonin transporter polymorphism in major depressive disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2013

Jamila Ahdidan ,
Leslie Foldager ,
Raben Rosenberg ,
Anders Rodell ,
Poul Videbech  and
Ole Mors
Jamila Ahdidan
Affiliation:
Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
Leslie Foldager*
Affiliation:
Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Raben Rosenberg
Affiliation:
Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
Anders Rodell
Affiliation:
Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Poul Videbech
Affiliation:
Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
Ole Mors
Affiliation:
Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark
*
Leslie Foldager, Aarhus University Hospital, Skovagervej 2, DK8240 Risskov, Denmark. Tel: +45 7847 1119; Fax: +45 7847 1108; E-mail: leslie@birc.au.dk
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Abstract

Objective

The main aim of the present study was to replicate a previous finding in major depressive disorder (MDD) of association between reduced hippocampal volume and the long variant of the di- and triallelic serotonin transporter polymorphism in SLC6A4 on chromosome 17q11.2. Secondarily, we also hypothesised that 5-HTTLPR may be a risk factor for MDD.

Methods

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the hippocampus was studied in 23 inpatients suffering from MDD and in 33 healthy controls. Normalised volumetric MRI data of hippocampus were assessed with adjustment for total brain volume and tensor-based morphometry was used to elucidate structural brain differences. A triallelic genetic marker resulting from two SLC6A4 promoter region polymorphisms, 5-HTTLPR and rs25531, was analysed for association with MDD and quantitative traits.

Results

Healthy controls had a smaller relative hippocampal volume (relative to brain size) but a larger total brain volume compared with patients with MDD. For patients compared with healthy controls, atrophy was found in the right temporal lobe and pons medulla. Allele and genotype frequencies were strikingly different from the previous study that we aimed to replicate, and no significant associations with the serotonin transporter polymorphism were found.

Conclusions

The present quantitative and morphometric MRI study was not able to replicate the previous finding of association between reduced hippocampal volume in depressed patients and the serotonin transporter polymorphism.

Keywords

genetic analyseshippocampusmajor depressive disorderMRIneuroimagingserotonin transporter

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , August 2013 , pp. 206 - 214
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2013 

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