Serotonin transporter polyadenylation polymorphism modulates the retention of fear extinction memory.

ABSTRACT: Growing evidence suggests serotonin's role in anxiety and depression is mediated by its effects on learned fear associations. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations of serotonin signaling in mice alter the retention of fear extinction learning, which is inversely associated with anxious temperament in mice and humans. Here, we test whether genetic variation in serotonin signaling in the form of a common human serotonin transporter polyadenylation polymorphism (STPP/rs3813034) is associated with spontaneous fear recovery after extinction. We show that the risk allele of this polymorphism is associated with impaired retention of fear extinction memory and heightened anxiety and depressive symptoms. These STPP associations in humans mirror the phenotypic effects of serotonin transporter kn

SUBMITTER: Hartley CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3325655 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature