Therapygenetics: anterior cingulate cortex-amygdala coupling is associated with 5-HTTLPR and treatment response in panic disorder with agoraphobia

J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2015 Jan;122(1):135-44. doi: 10.1007/s00702-014-1311-2. Epub 2014 Sep 16.

Abstract

Variation in the 5'-flanking promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene SLC6A4, the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been inconclusively associated with response to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). As genomic functions are stronger related to neural than to behavioural markers, we investigated the association of treatment response, 5-HTTLPR and functional brain connectivity in patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (PD/AG). Within the national research network PANIC-NET 231 PD/AG patients who provided genetic information underwent a manualized exposure-based CBT. A subset of 41 patients participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) add-on study prior to treatment applying a differential fear conditioning task. Neither the treatment nor the reduced fMRI sample showed a direct effect of 5-HTTLPR on treatment response as defined by a reduction in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale score ≥50 % from baseline to post assessment. On a neural level, inhibitory anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)-amygdala coupling during fear conditioning that had previously been shown to characterize treatment response in this sample was driven by responders with the L/L genotype. Building upon conclusive evidence from basic and preclinical findings on the association of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism with emotion regulation and related brain connectivity patterns, present findings translate these to a clinical sample of PD/AG patients and point towards a potential intermediate connectivity phenotype modulating response to exposure-based CBT.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Agoraphobia / complications
  • Agoraphobia / genetics*
  • Agoraphobia / rehabilitation*
  • Amygdala / blood supply
  • Amygdala / pathology*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Gyrus Cinguli / blood supply
  • Gyrus Cinguli / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oxygen / blood
  • Panic Disorder / complications
  • Panic Disorder / genetics*
  • Panic Disorder / rehabilitation*
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • SLC6A4 protein, human
  • Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Oxygen