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Impulsiveness, serotonin genes and repetition of deliberate self-harm (DSH)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 November 2000

J. EVANS ,
B. REEVES ,
H. PLATT ,
A. LEIBENAU ,
D. GOLDMAN ,
K. JEFFERSON  and
D. NUTT
J. EVANS
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London; and Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
B. REEVES
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London; and Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
H. PLATT
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London; and Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
A. LEIBENAU
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London; and Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
D. GOLDMAN
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London; and Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
K. JEFFERSON
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London; and Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
D. NUTT
Affiliation:
Division of Psychiatry, University of Bristol and the Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London; and Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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Abstract

Background. Few studies have investigated independent associations of psychological, biological and social variables with repeated deliberate self-harm (DSH). Serotonin function has been linked to impulsive and suicidal behaviour and genetic polymorphisms have been identified within the serotonin system that could account for this link. This study tested hypotheses linking impulsiveness, genetic polymorphisms of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and the 5-HT2c receptor and repeated DSH.

Methods. Individuals presenting after DSH were interviewed, completed personality questionnaires and gave venous blood samples. Genotypes were determined for TPH intron7 and 5-HT2c (cys-ser) polymorphisms. Follow-up to identify repetition of DSH was for 1 year.

Results. Males with the 5-HT2c serine variant were more impulsive than those with the cysteine variant (0·39 standardized units, P = 0·041, 95% CI 0·017 to 0·076). There was no association between impulsiveness and the TPH intron7 polymorphism overall but a weak association with the L allele in men (0·41 standardized units, P = 0·05, 95% CI 0·001 to 0·82). Impulsiveness, although high in the group as a whole, did not distinguish those who repeated DSH.

Conclusions. The personality trait of impulsiveness may in part be related to genotypes of the 5-HT2c receptor and TPH gene in men. Impulsiveness does not differ between those who do and do not repeat DSH.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 30 , Issue 6 , November 2000 , pp. 1327 - 1334
Copyright
© 2000 Cambridge University Press

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