Serotonergic dysfunction: Brain imaging and behavioral correlates

• Published in: Cognitive, affective, & behavioral neuroscience Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 53 - 61
• Main Authors: WRASE, Jana, REIMOLD, Matthias, PULS, Imke, KIENAST, Thorsten, HEINZ, Andreas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Austin, TX Psychonomic Society 01.03.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• 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; Consumption; Human; Affect affectivity; Serotoninergic transmission; Serotonin; Central nervous system; Genetic determinism; Encephalon; Alcoholic beverage; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Gene; Animal; Neurotransmitter; Primates; Genetics; Anxiety; Behavior; Aggressiveness; Polymorphism
• ISSN: 1530-7026; 1531-135X
• DOI: 10.3758/cabn.6.1.53

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.