Alleles of a Functional Serotonin Transporter Promoter Polymorphism Are Associated With Major Depression in Alcoholics

Abstract

With respect to the frequency of the short allele at the SLC6A4 locus (5-HTTLPR), major depression in alcoholics is similar to major depression in nonalcoholics. Further efforts to characterize depressed alcoholics and to examine genetic predictors of response to antidepressant treatment seem warranted.