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01-06-2009 | Basic Neurosciences, Genetics and Immunology - Original Article

Sympathetic activity relates to adenosine A_2A receptor gene variation in blood-injury phobia

Authors: C. Hohoff, K. Domschke, K. Schwarte, G. Spellmeyer, C. Vögele, G. Hetzel, J. Deckert, A. L. Gerlach

Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission | Issue 6/2009

Abstract

Variation in the candidate genes adenosine A_2A receptor (A_2AR), catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT), and norepinephrine transporter (NET) has been suggested to influence vulnerability to panic disorder. We therefore investigated patients with another anxiety disorder with an even higher heritability, the blood-injury phobia, for association of these variants and used sympathetic measures during venipuncture, which serve as a naturalistic trigger of anxiety and autonomic hyperarousal, as an intermediate phenotype of anxiety.

Patients homozygous for the A_2AR 1976T allele as compared to patients carrying at least one 1976C allele exhibited a significantly increased respiratory rate with a trend towards elevated measures of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and respiratory minute volume. None of the sympathetic measures were influenced by the COMT or NET polymorphisms.

This study provides preliminary data suggesting an influence of the A_2AR 1976C/T polymorphism on sympathetic psychophysiological indicators of anxiety-related arousal in blood-injury phobia and thereby further supports a role of the A_2AR gene in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders.

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Title: Sympathetic activity relates to adenosine A2A receptor gene variation in blood-injury phobia
Authors: C. Hohoff
K. Domschke
K. Schwarte
G. Spellmeyer
C. Vögele
G. Hetzel
J. Deckert
A. L. Gerlach
Publication date: 01-06-2009
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission / Issue 6/2009
Print ISSN: 0300-9564
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1463
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-008-0089-5

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Springer Medicine

Sympathetic activity relates to adenosine A_2A receptor gene variation in blood-injury phobia

Abstract

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Abstract

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