A polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene moderates cardiovascular reactivity to psychosocial stress.

ABSTRACT: To examine whether a polymorphism (5-HTTLPR: serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region) in the promoter of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) moderates cardiovascular reactivity to social threat.Psychologically healthy young adults delivered a speech and performed mental arithmetic in one of three conditions: a) an evaluative audience condition that gave disapproving and negative nonverbal social signals (n = 59); b) an evaluative audience condition that provided supportive social signals (n = 60); or c) a no audience condition (n = 65). Heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) were measured before, during, and after the stress tasks to assess cardiovascular reactivity and recovery.In the negative audience condition, there was a significant association between the 5-HTTLPR and systolic blood pressure, DBP, and HR reactivity. Individuals with the short/short genotype showed the greatest reactivity. The DBP and HR reactivity of short/short individuals in the negative audience condition was also greater than that of individuals with the short/short genotype in the no audience condition. These associations of the 5-HTLPR with HR reactivity were moderated by gender, being limited to females. With respect to cardiovascular recovery, short/short individuals in the negative audience condition exhibited impaired DBP recovery relative to other genotypes in the same condition, as well as short/short individuals in the no audience condition.The 5-HTTLPR moderates cardiovascular reactivity to stress in a threatening evaluative social context, which suggests that the serotonin system may be involved in the processes by which stressful, conflict-ridden social environments affect risk for cardiovascular-related health outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Way BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3090451 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature