| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamin; 5-HT) system has a central role in the circuitry of cognition and emotions. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that genetic variation in the serotonin transporter gene (<it>SLC6A4</it>; <it>5-HTT</it>) is associated with schizophrenia and suicidal behavior. In this study, we wanted to elucidate whether <it>SLC6A4</it> variations is involved in attempted suicide among patients with schizophrenia in a Scandinavian case–control sample.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia from three Scandinavian samples were assessed for presence or absence of suicide attempts, based on record reviews and interview data. Seven <it>SLC6A4</it> single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 837 schizophrenia patients and 1,473 control individuals. Association analyses and statistical evaluations were performed with the program UNPHASED (version 3.0.9).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed an allele association between the SNP rs16965628, located in intron one of <it>SLC6A4</it>, and attempted suicide (adjusted p-value 0.01), among patients with schizophrenia. No association was found to a diagnosis of schizophrenia, when patients were compared to healthy control individuals.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The gene <it>SLC6A4</it> appears to be involved in suicidal ideation among patients with schizophrenia. Independent replication is needed before more firm conclusions can be drawn.</p>
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