Premium
Beta‐1‐adrenergic receptor gene in major depression: Influence on antidepressant treatment response
Author(s) -
Zill Peter,
Baghai Thomas C.,
Engel Rolf,
Zwanzger Peter,
Schüle Cornelius,
Minov Christo,
Behrens Stefanie,
Bottlender Ronald,
Jäger Markus,
Rupprecht Rainer,
Möller HansJürgen,
Ackenheil Manfred,
Bondy Brigitta
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
american journal of medical genetics part b: neuropsychiatric genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.393
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1552-485X
pISSN - 1552-4841
DOI - 10.1002/ajmg.b.20017
Subject(s) - antidepressant , serotonergic , adenylyl cyclase , medicine , endocrinology , adrenergic receptor , prazosin , receptor , reuptake inhibitor , serotonin , psychology , pharmacology , antagonist , hippocampus
Noradrenergic dysfunction has been implicated in the development of affective disorders. β‐adrenergic receptors (βARs) mediate the response to norephinephrine, are coupled to the cAMP signaling cascade, supposed to be altered in their density and/or sensitivity in depression, and down regulated in several brain regions after long term treatment with different but not all antidepressants. A recently identified functional polymorphism in the β 1 ‐adrenergic receptor (G1165C) leading to the amino acid variation Gly389Arg was associated with an enhanced coupling to the stimulatory G s ‐protein and increased adenylyl cyclase activation, disturbances which are often observed in affective disorders. Therefore, we investigated whether this β 1 AR polymorphism is associated with major depression or with the response to antidepressant treatment in a sample of 259 patients compared to 206 healthy controls. Although we could not detect an association between the β 1 AR polymorphism and major depression we found a tendency for a relation between CC homozygosity and a better and even faster response to antidepressant treatment in those patients, which were treated with antidepressants affecting directly or indirectly the β 1 AR system (tricyclic antidepressants, noradrenergic and serotonergic specific agents, selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors) determined by the HAMD and CGI score ( P = 0.05). However, after correction for multiple testing (Bonferroni) these results did not remain significant. Nevertheless, these findings suggest that the presence of the C allele might be an indicator for antidepressant treatment response. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.