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| Original Research Article |
| DRD4 exon III VNTR polymorphism¾susceptibility factor for heroin dependence? Results of a case-control and a family-based association approach |
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| P Franke1, M M Nöthen2, T Wang2, M Knapp3, D Lichtermann1, H Neidt2, T Sander4, P Propping2 and W Maier1 |
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1Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
3Institute of Medical Statistics, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Correspondence to: Dr P Franke, Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany. E-mail: franke@uni-bonn.de
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| Abstract |
| Dopaminergic abnormalities are implicated in the pathogenesis of substance abuse.1 Recently, two reports have been published suggesting an association between opioid dependence and presence of long alleles of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene exon III VNTR.2,3 We have attempted to replicate this finding using a two-tiered strategy employing independent case-control and family-based association samples. Our study was possibly the largest candidate gene association study to date on opioid dependence in a sample of 815 subjects, 396 of whom were patients. We found long alleles of the DRD4 exon III VNTR in similar frequency among 285 heroin addicts and 197 controls. Furthermore, no preferential transmission of long alleles to affected offspring was observed in a sample of 111 patients and their parents. Our results, therefore, do not support the hypothesis that alleles of the DRD4 exon III VNTR are susceptibility factors for opioid dependence in man. Molecular Psychiatry(2000) 5, 101-104. |
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| Keywords |
| addiction; dopamine D4 receptor; association study; candidate gene; substance abuse; behavior genetics |
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| Received 11 May 1999; accepted 27 May 1999 |
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| January 2000, Volume 5, Number 1, Pages 101-104 |
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