An examination of TOR1A variants in recurrent major depression

Observations of comorbid depression in subjects with primary dystonia have suggested a dual role for the TOR1A gene in mood disorders and movement disorders. We conducted a systematic search for carriers of the ΔGAG deletion and for other variants in TOR1A exon 5 among 414 Caucasian subjects with recurrent major depression from the Upper Palatinate.

Allele frequencies were determined for 27 TOR1A diallelic markers, including two novel synonymous substitutions (L262L and E310E) in the region encoding the torsinA C-terminus, plus four novel variants in the gene's 3'UTR. No carriers of the ΔGAG deletion were observed. When data were compared to previously examined control populations, no significant allelic associations were noted after corrections for multiple testing.

The present study adds to the spectrum of TOR1A mutations but provides no evidence of a common genetic predisposition to DYT1 dystonia and recurrent major depression.