Association of the serotonin transporter promotor polymorphism with suicide attempters with a high medical damage

Serotonergic neurotransmission has been implicated in suicidal behavior, including inconsistent results concerning the serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR). Here, we analyzed the 5-HTTLPR in suicide attempters (n = 85). Comparing the presence of SS with SL + LL genotypes showed a significantly higher prevalence of the SS genotype in suicide attempters with high medical damage scores (χ2 = 9.054, df = 1, p = 0.0026). The results suggest that the S-allele may predispose for suicidal behavior characterized by high determination.