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Pharmacopsychiatry 2005; 38(4): 158-160
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-871237
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Serotonergic Effects of Smoking are Independent from the Human Serotonin Transporter Gene Promoter Polymorphism: Evidence from Auditory Cortical Stimulus Processing

J. Gallinat1*, D. Kunz1*, U. E. Lang2 , P. Kalus1 , G. Juckel1 , J. Eggers4 , R. Mahlberg1 , M. Staedtgen1 , C. Wernicke2 , H. Rommelspacher2 , M. N. Smolka3
  • 1Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
  • 2Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
  • 3Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
  • 4Clinic for Neurology, University Clinic Schleswig-Holstein Campus, Luebeck, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 27.7.2004 Revised: 5.10.2004

Accepted: 10.1.2005

Publication Date:
18 July 2005 (online)

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Background: Cigarette smoking has been associated with mood enhancing properties and modulating effects on serotonin activity. The loudness dependence (LD) of the auditory-evoked N1/P2-component has been related to serotonergic neurotransmission, i. e. the allelic variants in the promoter of the 5-hydroxytryptamine-transporter (5-HTT) gene (SCL6A4). Moreover, smoking behavior has been associated to the 5-HTT-genotype. It was hypothesized that cigarette smoking modulates the LD and this effect was expected to interact with the 5-HTT-genotype. Methods: 5-HTT-genotype and LD were determined in 63 healthy smokers and 114 nonsmokers. Results: LD was significantly affected by smoking status (p = 0.008) and 5-HTT-genotype (p = 0.045) but not by smoking*genotype-interaction or daily cigarette consumption. Current smokers exhibited a significantly weaker LD compared to nonsmokers. 5-HTT-genotype showed no significant effect on smoking behavior. Discussion: The results indicate a higher serotonergic activity in smokers as compared to nonsmokers independent of 5-HTT-genotype. Since former smokers and never smokers showed similar LDs, the serotonin enhancing effect of smoking seems to be a characteristic state, which may contribute to the maintenance of smoking behavior.

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Jürgen Gallinat, MD

Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik der Charité im St. Hedwig Krankenhaus

Turmstr. 21

10559 Berlin

Germany

Phone: +49 30 2311 2895

Fax: +49 30 2311 2903

Email: juergen.gallinat@charite.de