HC Deb 24 January 1983 vol 35 c327W
Mr. Ernie Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department is sponsoring research or monitoring research into the links between clinical depression and (a) levels of serotonin, (b) levels of S-HIAA in spinal fluid and (c) similarities in human leukocyte antigen within families.

Mr. William Shelton

The Medical Research Council, which receives a grant-in-aid from the Department, is engaged in a considerable amount of research on the relationships between the monoamines (of which serotonin is an example), their metabolites (eg S-HIAA) and affective disorders including depression. The council also supports studies on the genetics of depression, but none specifically on human leukocyte antigen associations.