Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
09:29
Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Published on: January 9, 2015
Endophenotypes and serotonergic polymorphisms associated with treatment response in obsessive-compulsive disorder
Fábio M Corregiari1, Márcio Bernik, Quirino Cordeiro
1Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
|April 24, 2012
Summary
Genetic variations in serotonin receptors may influence obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment outcomes. Specific polymorphisms are linked to SSRI response and endocrine reactions, offering potential biomarkers for personalized medicine.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacogenetics
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Selective serotonin reuptuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- A significant portion of OCD patients (40-60%) do not respond adequately to SSRIs.
- Genetic factors influencing SSRI treatment response in OCD are largely unidentified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serotonergic gene polymorphisms and SSRI treatment response in OCD patients.
- To explore the relationship between these polymorphisms and the endocrine response to citalopram challenge in OCD responders, non-responders, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- OCD patients were categorized as SSRI responders or non-responders and compared to healthy volunteers.
- Genetic analysis focused on the G861C polymorphism of the serotonin receptor 1Dβ gene and T102C and C516T polymorphisms of the serotonin receptor subtype 2A gene.
- Endocrine response was assessed via intravenous citalopram challenge.
Main Results:
- The T allele of the serotonin receptor subtype 2A T102C polymorphism was more prevalent in OCD patients than controls.
- The CC genotype of the serotonin receptor subtype 2A C516T polymorphism was more frequent in non-responders than responders.
- The CC genotype of the serotonin receptor subtype 1Dβ G681C polymorphism correlated with higher cortisol and prolactin responses to citalopram in controls, but this association was absent in SSRI non-responders.
Conclusions:
- Serotonergic gene polymorphisms, specifically in serotonin receptor subtype 2A and 1Dβ, are associated with SSRI treatment response in OCD.
- The CC genotype of the serotonin receptor subtype 1Dβ G681C polymorphism may predict endocrine response to citalopram in healthy individuals, but this predictive value is diminished in SSRI non-responders.
- These findings suggest potential genetic markers for predicting SSRI efficacy in OCD patients.
More Related Videos
06:50Marble Burying and Nestlet Shredding as Tests of Repetitive, Compulsive-like Behaviors in Mice
Published on: December 24, 2013
09:14Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: March 14, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:28Human Genetics
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
01:28Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both, which consume significant time and interfere with daily functioning. Obsessions involve persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that evoke anxiety. Common examples include irrational fears of contamination or harm. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. For instance, individuals...
01:29Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Genetic variations significantly influence drug response through pharmacokinetics, receptor interactions, and biologic milieu modifications. Pharmacokinetic alterations impact drug metabolism and clearance, affecting efficacy and toxicity. Variants in drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, alter drug activation and elimination. For example, CYP2C9 loss-of-function variants require lower warfarin doses to prevent excessive bleeding, while CYP2C19 variants reduce clopidogrel...
01:23Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...
01:11Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
01:27Pharmacogenetics of Drug Metabolism: Overview
Genetic polymorphism in drug metabolism is crucial to the inter-individual variability observed in drug responses. Drug metabolism primarily involves the chemical modification of drugs and other xenobiotics to enhance their elimination by increasing their polarity. Two main classes of enzymes mediate this biotransformation process: Phase I enzymes, primarily cytochrome P450s, catalyze oxidation and reduction reactions, while other enzymes, such as esterases, mediate hydrolysis, and Phase II...