Sensitivity of Short and Long Allele Carriers of the 5-HTTLPR to Environmental Threat Post Hydrocortisone Administration (5-HTTLPR)

The current study will test the causal relationship between elevated levels of cortisol and the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) as these factors influence sensitivity to environmental threat. The investigators predict that carriers of the short allele of the serotonin transporter gene who have elevated cortisol levels will be most sensitive to threatening environments, whereas carriers of the long allele who do not have elevated cortisol (placebo subjects) will be least sensitive.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Anxiety Disorders; Major Depressive Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Hydrocortisone

Detailed Description

Depression vulnerability has been linked to certain variants of the serotonin transporter gene. Research indicates that a polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) gene appears to moderate the association between life stress and depression onset. Life stress robustly predicts depression onset for individuals with two short 5-HTTLPR alleles. Individuals homozygous for the short 5-HTTLPR allele thus appear to be more sensitive to the effect of life stress, which in turn contributes to depression onset. A recent study showed that short allele carriers presented with a threat (social or other threats) who also had high levels of testosterone had elevated cortisol after exposure to the threat. There is neurobiological evidence that short allele status, elevated testosterone levels, and elevated cortisol levels are all linked to amygdala hyper-reactivity to the same classes of environmental threats. Thus, this study will test, for the first time, a potential interaction between 5-HTTLPR status and experimentally manipulated cortisol levels as risk factors for downstream mood and/or anxiety disorders by examining potential dysregulated stress responses among short allele carriers who have elevated cortisol levels.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 120

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Austin, Texas, United States, 78712
      • University of Texas at Austin
    • Austin, Texas, United States, 78712
      • University of Texas at Austin Department of Psychology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

University of Texas at Austin students

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• None

Exclusion Criteria:

• Are you under the age of 18 years old?
• Have you ever had an allergic reaction to hydrocortisone?
• Do you have diabetes or high blood pressure?
• Do you have any thyroid, liver, heart, lung, or kidney problems?
• Do you have herpes, HIV or any sexual transmitted disease?
• Are you currently pregnant or think you might be pregnant? Have you taken RU486, Plan B or "Morning After Pill" within the last 2 weeks? - Are you currently breastfeeding?
• Have you been sick within the last week? Do you have any fungal infections?
• Have you been exposed to measles or chicken pox in the last week?
• Have you ever had a seizure?
• Do you have any disease of bony tissue, such as osteoporosis?
• Do you have any autoimmune diseases, such as myasthenia gravis?
• Do you have multiple sclerosis?
• Do you have any condition that compromises you immune system function or causes you to be more likely to get sick?
• Have you had any recent surgeries?
• Do you have and gastrointestinal problems, such as ulcers, diverticulitis, colitis, hepatitis, or Crohn disease?
• Are you taking any of the following medications: nevirapine, telbivudine, sipuleucel-T (IV), natalizumab (IV)?
• Have you received any vaccinations within the last week?
• With the exception of vitamins, have you taken any medications in the last 3 days, including all over-the counter medications and/or supplements (e,g. Tylenol, ibuprofen, St. John's Wort, cold remedies)?
• Do you currently have or have you had in the past of any kind of cancer?
• Do you have any significant medical or psychiatric illnesses not listed above?

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Placebo; Control group who will not receive hydrocortisone. Will act as a comparison group to the hydrocortisone group.
Experimental: Hydrocortisone; Group will receive 20mg oral hydrocortisone	Drug: Hydrocortisone; Each subject in this group will receive one 20mg hydrocortisone capsule to be taken by mouth.; Other Names: Cortef; Cortisol; Hydrocortone

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in testosterone concentration	Subjects will be administered hydrocortisone or placebo. One hour after administration, they will be exposed to an environmental threat manipulation. 20 minutes after this manipulation, saliva will be collected, and testosterone concentrations will be assessed and compared to pre-manipulation concentrations	2 hours post hydrocortisone administration

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Robert A Josephs, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Josephs RA, Telch MJ, Hixon JG, Evans JJ, Lee H, Knopik VS, McGeary JE, Hariri AR, Beevers CG. Genetic and hormonal sensitivity to threat: testing a serotonin transporter genotype x testosterone interaction. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012 Jun;37(6):752-61. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.09.006. Epub 2011 Oct 5.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): December 1, 2013
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): November 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 16, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 18, 2012
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): October 19, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): March 20, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2015
• Last Verified: August 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Depression; Stress; Cortisol; Serotonin; Amygdala; Hydrocortisone; Testosterone; 5-HTTLPR
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Mood Disorders; Depressive Disorder; Disease; Anxiety Disorders; Depressive Disorder, Major; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Hydrocortisone
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2011-12-0017