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Inflammatory pathways play a crucial role in the pathomechanisms of antidepressant efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a set of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2, rs5275 and rs20417) and oxytocin receptor (OXTR, rs53576 and rs2254298) genes was associated with antidepressant treatment resistance, response or remission. Three hundred seventy-two patients were recruited in the context of a multicenter resistant depression study. They were genotyped for COX-2 and OXTR SNPs. Treatment resistance (according to two different definitions), response and remission were recorded. We did not observe any association between the genotypes or alleles of the selected SNPs within COX-2 and OXTR genes and treatment resistance, response and remission in the whole sample. Our results are consistent with those of some studies but not with those of other ones. Indeed, several factors could be involved in the discrepancy observed across studies. They include sample size, environmental factors, differences in ethnicity, different study designs, and different definitions of treatment resistance. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Background: The nosological and clinical implications of psychotic features in the course of mood disorders have been widely debated. Currently, no specification exists for defining a subgroup of lifetime Psychotic Mood Disorder (PMD) patients. Methods: A total of 2178 patients were examined, including subjects with Bipolar Disorder (BP) type I (n = 519) and II (n = 207) and Major Depressive Disorder (n = 1452). Patients were divided between PMD (n = 645) and non-psychotic Mood Disorders (MD) (n = 1533) by the lifetime presence of at least one mood episode with psychotic features. Subjects having a depressive episode at the time of assessment were also examined: HAM-D and YMRS scores were compared between MD and PMD subjects, both with and without current psychotic features. Results: A diagnosis of BP-I, a higher familial load for BP, a higher number of mood episodes lifetime, and a higher prevalence of OCD and somatic comorbidities were all associated to PMD. A diagnosis of BP (OR = 4.48) was the only significant predictor for psychosis. PMD with non-psychotic depression were apparently less severe than MD patients and had a lower rate of "non-responders" to AD treatment. Sub-threshold manic symptoms and suicidal risk were also more pronounced among PMD. Limitations: The lack of information about number and polarity of previous psychotic mood episodes may be the major limitations of our study. Conclusions: BP diagnosis is the most significant predictor for psychosis in mood disorders. Non-psychotic mood episodes in PMD patients may be characterized by a distinctive symptom profile and, possibly, a different response to treatment. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Our study aims at replicating our previous finding of an association between COMT rs4680 G/A polymorphism and early onset major depression (MD). We included 462 MD, 147 bipolar disorders (BD) subjects and 295 healthy controls. We could partially replicate previous findings. In particular, rs4680 GG + AG genotypes were more represented in the subgroup of early onset MD patients (p=0.04). Additionally, we observed an association between rs737865 alleles and early onset MD (p=0.04). Rs4680 genotype was associated with early onset BD as well (p=0.01). In conclusion, we partially replicated our previous findings confirming a possible influence of COMT variants in MD and BD, particularly in early onset subjects, though not with the same risk genotypes.