Abstract
Background
Recent research suggests that central corticotropin releasing hormone hyperdrive is
an important neurobiological risk factor for developing major depression. The availability
of free corticotropin releasing hormone in the central nervous system is tightly regulated
by the expression of corticotropin releasing hormone binding protein. Therefore, the
gene encoding for corticotropin releasing hormone binding protein is a functional
candidate gene for major depression.
Methods
We present a systematic study of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the corticotropin
releasing hormone binding protein gene and their role in the liability for major depression.
Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in a well-diagnosed sample of
89 patients with recurrent major depressions and matched controls.
Results
Two single nucleotide polymorphisms within the corticotropin releasing hormone binding
protein gene were significantly associated with the disease (p < .05). An expectation-maximization algorithm estimated a specific haplotype to have
a frequency of 53% in patients and 35% in controls (p < .001).
Conclusions
The corticotropin releasing hormone binding protein gene is likely to be involved
in the genetic vulnerability for major depression.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
April 14,
2003
Received in revised form:
March 19,
2003
Received:
January 6,
2003
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
