Associations between the serotonin-1A receptor C(-1019)G polymorphism and disordered eating symptoms in female adolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the C(-1019)G polymorphism of the serotonin-1A receptor gene and eating behavior in female adolescents. A total of 204 post-menarche, adolescent women, aged 16-17 years, were recruited from two neighboring high schools in Seoul. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to isolate and examine the C(-1019)G polymorphism in the serotonin-1A receptor genes (rs6295) of all participants. The Bulimia Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE) and the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26) were administered to all participants. The total score of the EAT-26 differed significantly among the three genotype groups [CC, CG, GG (F = 4.844, p = 0.009)]. Both the EAT-26 (F = 9.69, p = 0.002) and the BITE (F = 5.22, p = 0.023) scores were higher in the participants who were G allele carriers than in the non-carrier group. The dieting subscale of the EAT-26 was higher among the G allele carriers (F = 12.941, p < 0.001), and these results were maintained even after adjusting for depression and anxiety. These findings suggest that the C(-1019)G polymorphism in the 5-HT1A receptor gene is associated with disordered eating symptoms in Korean female adolescents.