Male-specific association between the 5-HTTLPR S allele and suicide attempts in alcohol-dependent subjects

Changes in serotoninergic neurotransmission have been implicated in the pathogenesis of suicidal behavior and alcohol dependence. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between suicide attempts and the 5-HTTLPR S allele in alcohol-dependent subjects. We investigated the frequency of the S allele of 5-HTTLPR in a sample of 100 French Caucasian alcohol-dependent inpatients (48 men and 52 women) with and without a history of suicide attempts. The frequencies of 5-HTTLPR genotypes did not differ significantly between men and women. A history of at least one suicide attempt was more frequent in women than in men (57.5% versus 31.3%, respectively, p = 0.008). Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of the S allele of 5-HTTLPR was related to a life-time risk of suicide attempts, but only in male subjects (p = 0.05). There seems to be an allelic association between the 5-HTTLPR S allele and suicidal behavior in alcohol-dependent subjects, but this relationship is restricted to male subjects.