The DRD4 VNTR polymorphism influences reactivity to smoking cues.
Recent research has indicated that craving for tobacco can be reliably elicited by exposure to smoking cues, suggesting that cue-elicited craving for tobacco may be a useful phenotype for research on genetic factors related to nicotine dependence. Given the potential role of dopamine in cue-elicited craving, the authors examined whether the DRD4 VNTR polymorphism is associated with cue-elicited craving for tobacco. Participants who were homozygous or heterozygous for the 7 repeat (or longer) allele were classified as DRD4 L, and all other participants were classified as DRD4 S. Participants were exposed to smoking cues before smoking either high-nicotine cigarettes or control cigarettes. Analyses suggested that participants in the L group demonstrated significantly greater craving, more arousal, less positive affect, and more attention to the smoking cues than did the participants in the S group.
Hutchison
Kent E
KE
Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 80309-0345, USA. KentH@psych.colorado.edu
LaChance
Heather
H
Niaura
Raymond
R
Bryan
Angela
A
Smolen
Andrew
A
D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D012907:Smoking / Q000235:genetics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4