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Suicide attempts and the tryptophan hydroxylase gene

Molecular Psychiatry volume 6, pages 268–273 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is the rate-limiting enzyme of serotonin synthesis. In this case-control study, we investigated whether the TPH gene was a susceptibility factor for suicidal behavior. Seven polymorphisms spanning the entire gene were studied in a case-control study including 231 individuals who had attempted suicide and 281 controls. Significant associations were found between variants in introns 7, 8 and 9 (χ2 = 11.2, df = 1, P< 0.0008 for the allele distribution; these loci are in complete linkage disequilibrium) and in the 3′ noncoding region (χ2 = 30.94, P = 0.0014) and suicide attempt. The association was strongest for subjects who had attempted suicide by violent means and who had a history of major depression. No significant association was observed between suicide attempts and polymorphisms in the promoter, intron 1 and intron 3. The results presented here, and those of previous studies, suggest that a genetic variant of the 3′ part of the TPH gene may be a susceptibility factor for a phenotype combining suicidal behavior, mood disorder and impulsive aggression.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grant 32–47315.96 and grant 31–53849.98 from the Swiss National Foundation and grants from ‘Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris’ (Contrat de Recherche Clinique), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, France (F Bellivier, poste d'accueil and Réseau INSERM No. 4M305D).

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Author notes

  1. M Abbar and P Courtet: These two authors contributed equally to this work and they are listed in alphabetical order.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Carémeau Hospital, Nîmes, France

    M Abbar

  2. Department of Psychological Medicine and Psychiatry, Lapeyronie Hospital, INSERM E99-30, Montpellier, France

    P Courtet & D Castelhau

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Henri Mondor and Albert Chenevier Hospitals, Créteil, France

    F Bellivier & M Leboyer

  4. University Department of Psychiatry, La Colombière Hospital, INSERM E99-30, Montpellier, France

    J P Boulenger

  5. Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland

    M Ferreira, C Lambercy, D Mouthon, A Paoloni-Giacobino, M Vessaz, A Malafosse & C Buresi

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  1. M Abbar
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  2. P Courtet
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  3. F Bellivier
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  4. M Leboyer
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  6. D Castelhau
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  7. M Ferreira
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  8. C Lambercy
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  9. D Mouthon
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  10. A Paoloni-Giacobino
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  11. M Vessaz
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  12. A Malafosse
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  13. C Buresi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P Courtet.

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Abbar, M., Courtet, P., Bellivier, F. et al. Suicide attempts and the tryptophan hydroxylase gene. Mol Psychiatry 6, 268–273 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4000846

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