Amygdala function and 5-HTT gene variants in adolescent anxiety and major depressive disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Associations between a functional polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene and amygdala activation have been found in healthy, depressed, and anxious adults. This study explored these gene-brain associations in adolescents by examining predictive effects of serotonin transporter gene variants (S and L(G) allele carriers vs. L(A) allele homozygotes) and their interaction with diagnosis (healthy vs. patients) on amygdala responses to emotional faces.

Methods

Functional magnetic resonance data were collected from 33 healthy adolescents (mean age: 13.71, 55% female) and 31 medication-free adolescents with current anxiety or depressive disorders (or both; mean age: 13.58, 56% female) while viewing fearful, angry, happy, and neutral facial expressions under varyin

SUBMITTER: Lau JY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2791528 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature