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Published on: August 11, 2021
An association study between the norepinephrine transporter gene and depression.
Henriette N Buttenschøn1, Iben S Jacobsen, Matias B Grynderup
1Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. henrbutt@rm.dk
Psychiatric Genetics
|August 24, 2013
Summary
Researchers investigated the norepinephrine transporter gene (SLC6A2) as a potential cause of depression. Genetic analysis in a Danish population did not find SLC6A2 to be a significant susceptibility gene for depression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Chromosomal rearrangements can help identify candidate genes for depression.
- The norepinephrine transporter (NET; SLC6A2) gene is involved in neurotransmitter reuptake and may play a role in depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between genetic variants in SLC6A2 and depression in a Danish population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 45 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC6A2 gene.
- Genotyping was performed on 408 individuals with depression and 559 control individuals.
- Statistical analyses were conducted after quality control of genotypes.
Main Results:
- One SNP showed a nominal association with depression, but this did not withstand correction for multiple testing.
- The study did not find significant evidence to support SLC6A2 as a susceptibility gene for depression in the Danish population.
Conclusions:
- The findings do not implicate SLC6A2 as a major genetic factor for depression in the studied Danish cohort.
- Further research may be needed to explore the role of NET and its genetic variants in depression across different populations.
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