The relationship between eating attitudes and HTR2A gene polymorphisms in adolescents with generalised anxiety disorder

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between eating attitudes and serotonin receptor 2A gene polymorphisms in adolescents diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Genotype distributions of adolescents with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and healthy controls were compared. In addition, the interaction of sociodemographic characteristics and impulsivity with these genetic variants, as well as their relationship with eating attitudes, were evaluated. The sample consisted of 46 adolescents diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and 47 healthy controls aged between 12 and 18 years, all of whom had completed psychiatric evaluations. The Sociodemographic Data Form and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders – Parent Form were completed by caregivers of all participants. Each participant also completed the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders– Child Form, the Eating Attitudes Test-40 and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale – Short Form. Genotyping analyses were performed using DNA samples via the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. No significant differences were found between the patient and control groups in terms of polymorphism distribution. Although adolescents in the patient group had higher impulsivity and eating attitude scores than the healthy group, this difference was not statistically significant. Correlation analysis within the patient group revealed weak positive correlations between eating attitude scores and anxiety subscale scores, as well as between impulsivity and anxiety subscale scores. When the polymorphisms were analyzed, rs6311 polymorphisms were compared according to subscales and it was found that social phobia subscale scores on both the parent and child anxiety forms were significantly higher in adolescents with CT/TT genotypes. Our findings suggest that the risk of developing an eating disorder is influenced by multiple variables and is not directly associated with anxiety or genetic factors. Although the effect of serotonin receptor 2A gene polymorphisms on the development of eating disorders appears limited, the rs6311 polymorphism may contribute to a predisposition to Social Anxiety Disorder. Keywords: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, serotonin receptor 2A, serotonin receptor gene polymorphism, eating attitude, impulsivity