Gender-specific association of galanin polymorphisms with HPA-axis dysregulation, symptom severity, and antidepressant treatment response.

ABSTRACT: Galanin (GAL) is an estrogen-inducible neuropeptide, highly expressed in brain regions reported to be involved in regulation of mood and anxiety. GAL possibly has a direct modulatory effect on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis regulation. Recent data from pharmacological and genetic studies indicate a significant function of GAL in stress-related disorders. By using a tag SNP approach covering the locus encoding preprogalanin (PPGAL), earlier findings of female-specific associations of polymorphisms in this locus with panic disorder were expanded to a larger sample of 268 outpatients with anxiety disorders (ADs). Within a larger sample of 541 inpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD), we then tested associations of one PPGAL tag SNP with specific depression symptom clusters a

SUBMITTER: Unschuld PG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3055457 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature