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Title: Exclusion of close linkage between the synaptic vesicular monoamine transporter locus and schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Journal Article · · American Journal of Medical Genetics
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States)
  2. Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome (Italy); and others

The principal brain synaptic vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2) is responsible for the reuptake of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and histamine from the cytoplasm into synaptic vesicles, thus contributing to determination of the size of releasable neurotransmitter vesicular pools. Potential involvement of VMAT2 gene variants in the etiology of schizophrenia and related disorders was tested using polymorphic VMAT2 gene markers in 156 subjects from 16 multiplex pedigrees with schizophrenia, schizophreniform, schizoaffective, and schizotypal disorders and mood incongruent psychotic depression. Assuming genetic homogeneity, complete ({theta} = 0.0) linkage to the schizophrenia spectrum was excluded under both dominant and recessive models. Allelic variants at the VMAT2 locus do not appear to provide major genetic contributions to the etiology of schizophrenia spectrum disorders in these pedigrees. 16 refs.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
254412
Journal Information:
American Journal of Medical Genetics, Vol. 60, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: 18 Dec 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English