Serotonin transporter genotype impacts amygdala habituation in youth with autism spectrum disorders.

ABSTRACT: Failure of the amygdala to habituate, or decrease response intensity, to repeatedly presented faces may be one mechanism by which individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) develop and maintain social symptoms. However, genetic influences on habituation in ASD have not been examined. We hypothesized that serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR) genotype affects change in amygdala response to repeated sad faces differently in individuals with ASD vs healthy controls. Forty-four youth with ASD and 65 controls aged 8-19 years were genotyped and underwent an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging scan where they identified the gender of emotional faces presented for 250 ms. The first half of the run was compared with the second half to assess habituation. 5-HT

SUBMITTER: Wiggins JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4040086 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature