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Concurrent positive association between pathological gambling and functional DNA polymorphisms at the MAO-A and the 5-HT transporter genes

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages 927–928 (2002)Cite this article

SIR – A genetic contribution to the pathogenesis of Pathological Gambling (PG) has been demonstrated by family, twin, and genetic association studies. Previously, we have reported a positive association between a monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) polymorphism and PG.1 However, the use of a non-functional polymorphism was a big limitation of that study. Therefore, the purpose of the present work was to further examine the role of the MAO-A gene in PG using a functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the MAO-A gene (MAOA-uVNTR).2

A total of 68 pathological gamblers and 68 controls were used in this study. All of them were Caucasian and living in central Spain. Subjects were screened by the molecular analysis of MAOA-uVNTR .2 This polymorphism that consists of a 30-bp repeated sequence present in three, 3.5, four and five copies, has been related with the transcriptional activity of the MAO-A gene promoter since alleles with 3.5 or four copies are transcribed two to ten times more efficiently than those with either three or five copies.2

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References

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Author notes

  1. I Pérez de Castro

    Present address: Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Genetics Unit, Autonoma University, Madrid, Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain

    I Pérez de Castro & J Fernández-Piqueras

  2. Department of Psychiatry, ‘Ramon y Cajal’ Hospital, Acala University, Madrid, Spain

    A Ibáñez & J Saiz-Ruiz

Authors
  1. I Pérez de Castro
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  2. A Ibáñez
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  3. J Saiz-Ruiz
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  4. J Fernández-Piqueras
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Correspondence to I Pérez de Castro.

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Pérez de Castro, I., Ibáñez, A., Saiz-Ruiz, J. et al. Concurrent positive association between pathological gambling and functional DNA polymorphisms at the MAO-A and the 5-HT transporter genes. Mol Psychiatry 7, 927–928 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001148

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