Serotonin 2a Receptor T102C Polymorphism and Impaired Impulse Control

Patients homozygous for the C allele of the T102C serotonin (5-HT) 2a receptor polymorphism have shown increased suicidal ideation or behaviour in some reports, but not in others. We conducted a pilot investigation to determine whether this polymorphism might relate more specifically to a dimension of impaired impulse control, which may underlie only a portion of suicides. The 102C/102C genotype was jointly associated with a greater incidence of past mood disorder or substance-abuse disorder, as well as significantly more commission errors compared to the 102T/102C & 102T/102T genotypes. These preliminary data suggest that the T102C 5-HT2a receptor polymorphism may be a marker for impaired behaviour control. (28 refs.)