Depression Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Depression, including details on clinical depression, medication, symptoms, treatment, counselling, therapy.

Higher 5-HT1A receptor binding potential during a major depressive episode predicts poor treatment response: preliminary data from a naturalistic study.

Parsey RV, Olvet DM, Oquendo MA, Huang YY, Ogden RT, Mann JJ

Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. rparsey@neuron.cpmc.columbia.edu

Serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) binding potential (BP) as assessed by positron emission tomography (PET) is higher in major depressive disorder (MDD) in association with the higher expressing GG genotype of the 5-HT1A C-1019G polymorphism. We hypothesize that higher 5-HT1A BP and the GG genotype predict remission failure on antidepressant treatment. We determined 5-HT1A BP by PET and 5-HT1A C-1019G genotype in 43 controls and 22 medication-free MDD subjects. MDD was treated naturalistically and remission was defined as >50% reduction and a score of <or=10 on the 24 item Hamilton Scale 1 year after initiation of treatment after scanning. Despite equivalent treatment, nonremitters have higher pretreatment cortical BP and the GG genotype is over-represented compared with remitters. Higher 5-HT1A BP, perhaps due to greater gene expression, may predict antidepressant medication nonremission. The findings should be tested in a controlled prospective treatment study.

Published 18 July 2006 in Neuropsychopharmacology, 31(8): 1745-9.
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