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Involvement of a polymorphism in the 5-HT2A receptor gene in impulsive behavior

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Abstract

Rationale and objective

Impulsive behavior has been suggested to occur due to a dysfunction of serotonergic 5-HT neurotransmission. After evaluation by a self-reporting measure, a polymorphism in the promoter of the 5-HT2A receptor gene has been proposed to underlie the impulsive behavior; however, this hypothesis is not convincing. In this study, we examined whether this 5-HT2A receptor gene polymorphism is involved in impulsive aggression by evaluating a behavioral task (go/no-go task) in normal volunteers.

Materials and methods

The polymorphism of the 5-HT2A receptor gene promoter was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction using lymphocytes from 71 volunteers. Impulsivity was defined as the number of commission errors (responding when one should not) made during a go/no-go task (a larger number of commission errors indicates greater difficulty in inhibiting the behavior).

Results

The subjects in the group with the A-1438A allele of the 5-HT2A receptor gene (A-1438A group) made more commission errors under the punishment–reward condition in a go/no-go task than those in the G-1438G group.

Conclusions

These results suggest the possible involvement of the A-1438A polymorphism of the 5-HT2A receptor gene in impulsive behavior; this was evaluated using a behavioral task measure that can directly reveal the traits of human impulsive behavior.

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Acknowledgement

The authors thank Marco Leyton for comment on this article. This work was supported by grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Tokai Women’s University, Nakakirino-cho, Kakamigahara, Gifu, 504-8511, Japan

    Michio Nomura

  2. Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan

    Ichiro Kusumi, Takuya Masui & Tsukasa Koyama

  3. Hokkaido University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sapporo, Japan

    Masayuki Kaneko & Yasuyuki Nomura

  4. Department of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan

    Makoto Daiguji & Takeji Ueno

Authors
  1. Michio Nomura
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  2. Ichiro Kusumi
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  3. Masayuki Kaneko
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  4. Takuya Masui
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  5. Makoto Daiguji
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  6. Takeji Ueno
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  7. Tsukasa Koyama
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  8. Yasuyuki Nomura
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Correspondence to Michio Nomura.

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Nomura, M., Kusumi, I., Kaneko, M. et al. Involvement of a polymorphism in the 5-HT2A receptor gene in impulsive behavior. Psychopharmacology 187, 30–35 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0398-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0398-z

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