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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Rapid In Situ Hybridization using Oligonucleotide Probes on Paraformaldehyde-prefixed Brain of Rats with Serotonin Syndrome
Published on: September 23, 2015
The serotonin transporter 5-HTTPR polymorphism is associated with current and lifetime depression in persons with
J Contreras1, L Hare, B Camarena
1Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Genetics Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
Objective:
Variation in the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) promoter region has been shown to influence depression in persons who have been exposed to a number of stressful life events.
Method:
We evaluated whether genetic variation in 5-HTTLPR, influences current depression, lifetime history of depression and quantitative measures of depression in persons with chronic psychotic disorders. This is an association study of a genetic variant with quantitative and categorical definitions of depression conducted in the southwest US, Mexico and Costa Rica. We analyzed 260 subjects with a history of psychosis, from a sample of 129 families.
Results:
We found that persons carrying at least one short allele had a statistically significant increased lifetime risk for depressive syndromes (P < 0.02, odds ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.10-4.20).
Conclusion:
The 'ss' or 'sl' genotype at the 5-HTTLPR promoter polymorphic locus increases the risk of psychotic individuals to develop major depression during the course of their illness.
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