Serotonergic dysfunction: Brain imaging and behavioral correlates

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cognitive, affective, & behavioral neuroscience affective, & behavioral neuroscience, 2006-03, Vol.6 (1), p.53-61
Main Authors: WRASE, Jana, REIMOLD, Matthias, PULS, Imke, KIENAST, Thorsten, HEINZ, Andreas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aggression - physiology
Alcohol use
Alcoholism
Alcoholism - genetics
Alcoholism - metabolism
Animals
Anxiety
Behavior, Animal - physiology
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Brain - pathology
Brain Mapping
Environment
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Medical imaging
Mental disorders
Neuroimaging
Neurotransmission and behavior
Polymorphism
Polymorphism, Genetic
Primates
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Serotonin
Serotonin - metabolism
Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics
Social isolation
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Summary: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 ofthe serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and environmental factors. Prospective studies in nonhuman primates that underwent social stress found a reduction of theserotonin 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.
ISSN:1530-7026
1531-135X
DOI:10.3758/cabn.6.1.53