“Therapygenetic Effects of 5-HTTLPR on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Anxiety Disorders: A Meta-Analysis”, Miriam A. Schiele, Andreas Reif, Jiaxi Lin, Georg W. Alpers, Evelyn Andersson, Gerhard Andersson, Volker Arolt, Jan Bergström, Per Carlbring, Thalia C. Eley, Gabriel Esquivel, Tomas Furmark, Alexander L. Gerlach, Alfons Hamm, Sylvia Helbig-Lang, Jennifer L. Hudson, Thomas Lang, Kathryn J. Lester, Nils Lindefors, Tina B. Lonsdorf, Paul Pauli, Jan Richter, Winfried Rief, Susanna Roberts, Christian Rück, Koen R. J. Schruers, Christiane Thiel, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen, Katharina Domschke, Heike Weber, Ulrike Lueken2021-03-01 (heritability, anxiety, scientific bias; similar)⁠:

There is a recurring debate on the role of the serotonin transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) in the moderation of response to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in anxiety disorders. Results, however, are still inconclusive. We here aim to perform a meta-analysis on the role of 5-HTTLPR [candidate-gene] in the moderation of CBT outcome in anxiety disorders. We investigated both categorical (symptom reduction of at least 50%) and dimensional outcomes from baseline to post-treatment and follow-up.

Original data were obtained from 10 independent samples (including 3 unpublished samples) with a total of 2,195 patients with primary anxiety disorder. No statistically-significant effects of 5-HTTLPR genotype on categorical or dimensional outcomes at post and follow-up were detected. We conclude that current evidence does not support the hypothesis of 5-HTTLPR as a moderator of treatment outcome for CBT in anxiety disorders.

Future research should address whether other factors such as long-term changes or epigenetic processes may explain further variance in these complex gene-environment interactions and molecular-genetic pathways that may confer behavioral change following psychotherapy.

[Keywords: serotonin transporter gene, therapygenetics, treatment response, therapy outcome, CBT, panic disorder]

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