Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether common polymorphisms of key genes that control the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) pathway are associated with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Study design: The study sample comprised 53 women with clinically diagnosed premenstrual dysphoric disorder (age range, 27-46 years; mean age, 37.7 years) and 52 healthy control subjects (age range, 22-48 years; mean age, 36.2 years). Eight polymorphisms that encode the 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter (LPR, VNTR-2, and 3' UTR G/T), tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1 G-6526A, G-5806T, and A218C), and monoamine oxidase A (monoamine oxidase A promoter VNTR-1 and exon 8 Fnu 4H1) were genotyped. Genotype and allelic frequencies were analyzed by chi-square test and stepwise logistic regression analysis.
Results: There was no significant association between any genotype and clinical category and no significant allelic distribution profiles in either the premenstrual dysphoric disorder group or the control group.
Conclusion: These findings do not support a major role for common 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter, TPH1, and monoamine oxidase A polymorphisms in contributing to susceptibility to premenstrual dysphoric disorder.