title: Investigating the role of dopaminergic and serotonergic candidate genes in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: There is increasing evidence that the aetiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has a marked genetic component, although the precise mechanism of inheritance is unclear. Clinical and pharmacological studies have implicated the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems in disease pathogenesis. This study investigated the role of attractive candidate genes in the serotonergic and dopaminergic pathways in the development of OCD. The distribution of selected polymorphic variants in the serotonin receptor type 2A and 1Dbeta (5-HT(2A), 5-HT(1Dbeta)), dopamine transporter (DAT), dopamine receptor type 4 (DRD4) and monoamine-oxidase A (MAO-A) genes were analysed in 71 OCD cases and 129 control individuals in the genetically homogeneous Afrikaner population, by means of case-control association studies. Although no statistically significant genotypic or allelic associations were detected, the data yielded interesting preliminary results that warrant further discussion and investigation.
authors.affiliation: MRC/US Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Stellenbosch, P.O. Box 19063, 7505, Tygerberg, South Africa. smjh@sun.ac.za
authors.forename: Sîan M J
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hemmings
authors.forename: Craig J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kinnear
authors.forename: Dana J H
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Niehaus
authors.forename: Johanna C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moolman-Smook
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lochner
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: Valerie A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Corfield
authors.forename: Dan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004298:Dopamine / Q000235:genetics*; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000235:genetics; D012701:Serotonin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; C493214:SLC6A3 protein, human; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D012701:Serotonin; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D004298:Dopamine