IMPACT OF 5-HTTLPR POLYMORPHISM IN THE LETHALITY AND IMPULSIVENESS OF SUICIDAL BE - HAVIOR IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION

ANGELES ROMINA ARENA ; ARNALDO RAÚL ARMESTO ; SOLEDAD PUPPO; LEANDRO GRENDAS; FEDERICO REBOK; DEMIÁN RODANTE; GISELA LADO; ALICIA PORTELA; PATRICIA VIDJEN; ANDREA EMILSE ERRASTI ; FEDERICO MANUEL DARAY

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta SAIC-SAI-SAFE 2016; 2016

SAIC-SAI-SAFE

Suicidal behavior is a complication of psychiatric illness, most commonly observed in majordepression. This behavior is comorbid with other disorders like violence, anxiety and aggressiveimpulsiveness. These disorders have been related to a dysfunction in the serotonergic pathway, whichwas also considered as a biological substrate of suicidal behavior. Due to twin and adoption studiesthere is evidence that suicide has a genetic background and, because of that, several genes relatedwith serotonin neurotransmission were evaluated in order to find genetic markers. One of the moststudied is a functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) that is being composed of a 44bp insertion/deletion which determinate a long allele (L) or ashort one (S). The alleles differ in the transcription of the SCL6A4 gene and have differences in theefficiency of reuptake. The current study was observational, descriptive, transversal and multi-centric.The project aims to evaluate the relationship between 5-HTTLPR genotypes and suicidal behavior inpatients with major depression. Patients were interviewed by a psychiatrist belonging to our researchgroup. A suicide attempt was defined as an intentional self-harm in which there is intent to die.Genomic DNA was obtained from blood samples of 86 patients using spin-columns, amplified withPCR and resolved by electrophoresis in agarose gel. The study was approved by the Research EthicsCommittee and all patients enrolled gave written informed consent. One-way analysis of variance anda likelihood ratio test were performed as statistical analysis. Results suggest a positive associationbetween SS genotype, impulsiveness p