Preliminary Evidence of the Short Allele of the Serotonin Transporter Gene Predicting Poor Response to Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Objective: This study was intended to assess the extent to which the low-expression alleles of the serotonin transporter gene promoter predict poor response to cognitive behavior therapy in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Forty-five patients with PTSD underwent an 8-week exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy program and provided mouth swabs or saliva samples to extract genomic DNA and classify individuals according to four allelic forms (SA, SG, LA, LG) of the 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR). We determined whether the 5-HTTLPR genotype predicted change in PTSD severity following treatment (n = 45) and 6 months later (n = 42). Results: After controll..