Serotonin Transporter (SLC6A4) and FK506-Binding Protein 5 (FKBP5) Genotype and Methylation Relationships with Response to Meditation in Veterans with PTSD.
Molecular neurobiology November 1, 2024 Adam Lee, Paul Thuras, Joshua Baller et al. 9 citations
Meditation-based therapies such as mindfulness-based stress reduction and Transcendental Meditation can reduce PTSD symptoms in veterans. In 72 veterans with PTSD, those with the 5HTTLPR LALA high expression genotype of the serotonin transporter gene who had experienced early life trauma showed greater symptom improvement. Additionally, changes in DNA methylation at nine specific sites in the FKBP5 gene from before to after treatment were linked to greater symptom improvement, with an odds ratio of 2.8. These findings suggest that genetic and epigenetic markers in the SLC6A4 and FKBP5 genes may be important for understanding treatment mechanisms and predicting symptom improvement.