Background/aims: A disturbed sleep-wake rhythm cycle can be seen in delirium and as melatonin regulates this cycle via melatonin receptors, genetic variations in these receptors may contribute to susceptibility to delirium. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether genetic variants in the melatonin receptor 1B (MTNR1B) gene are associated with delirium.
Methods: Elderly medical and hip surgery patients were included in the study. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined in the MTNR1B gene, i.e. rs18030962, rs3781638, rs10830963, rs156244 and rs4753426.
Results: In total, 53% of 171 hip fracture patients and 33% of 699 medical patients were diagnosed with delirium. None of the polymorphisms were found to be associated with the occurrence of delirium.
Conclusion: Future research could focus on sequencing this gene to look for other functional SNPs in relation to delirium.
Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.