Suicide is a multicausal phenomenon posing a great challenge to medicine and society, yet we still have limited knowledge concerning underlying biochemical, neuroanatomical and genetic factors. Research increasingly points to a role of the serotonergic system, both on the level of suicidal behavior, and such behavioural traits which may serve as important intermedier endophenotypes in suicide research. Although results are conflicting, several studies described an association between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and suicide, as well as this polymorphism and certain aggressive traits. Impulsive aggression is also thought to play a major contributory role in suicide. The aim of our research was to investigate the association between the 5-HTTLPR and aggressive traits in depressive patients carrying a higher risk for suicide and healthy controls.

137 major depressive and 164 healthy controls women were recruited. Participants completed the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory and were genotyped for 5-HTTLPR. Association of aggressive traits and indeces with 5-HTTLPR genotype in the two groups were analysed using ANCOVA.

Diagnosis and 5-HTTLPR genotype showed a significant association with aggressive traits. The pattern of association was different in the depressed and control groups. The strongest interaction effect between genotype and diagnosis was observable in case of Resentment.

We found a significant association between 5-HTTLPR and several aggressive traits. In case of depressive patients the association was more marked. In depressed women the 5-HTTLPR shows a stronger association with aggressive traits related to aggression turned inward, which may play a role in the background of suicide.