Serotonergic dysfunction: Brain imaging and behavioral correlates |
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Authors: | Jana Wrase Matthias Reimold Imke Puls Thorsten Kienast Andreas Heinz |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Psychiatry, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany;(2) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Rockville, Md., USA;(3) Department of Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany |
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Abstract: | Identification of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions has become increasingly important in understanding psychiatric disorders. Dysfunction of central serotonergic neurotransmission has been implicated in alcoholism, depression, and anxiety. We review the literature on nonhuman primates that assesses the interaction between the genetic constitution of the regulatory region of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and environmental factors. Prospective studies in nonhuman primates that underwent social stress found a reduction of the serotonin turnover rate among carriers of one or two short alleles in a functional polymorphism of the 5-HTT promoter. In these primates, brain imaging studies showed a relative increase in the availability of raphe serotonin transporters. A low serotonin turnover rate and a high availability of serotonin transporters were associated with reduced response to excessive alcohol intake, anxiety, and impulsive aggression. Animal experiments point to a relationship between serotonergic dysfunction, negative mood states, and excessive alcohol intake, which may in part be mediated by reduced alcohol-induced sedation. |
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