Frequency of Long-Allele in Serotonin Transporter Gene is Increased in Depressed Suicide Victims

The present investigation tested the hypothesis that alterations in serotonin uptake & density of 5-HT2A receptors in suicidal patients & suicide victims may be trait rather than state markers & may be associated with a polymorphism in respective candidate genes. Their findings provide evidence suggesting that a functional polymorphism in the regulatory region of serotonin transporter genes may be associated with suicide in depressed subjects. (42 refs)