DRD4 exon 3 variants are not associated with symptomatology of major psychoses in a German population.
We previously reported an association of DRD4 exon 3 long alleles with delusional symptomatology, independently from psychiatric diagnoses [Am. J. Med. Genet. 105 (2001) 283; Psychiatry Res. 80 (1998) 129]. The aim of this investigation was to replicate these results in an independent sample from Germany. We studied 394 subjects, affected by bipolar disorder (n = 32), schizoaffective disorder (n = 45), and schizophrenia (n = 317). All affected subjects were evaluated using the Operational Criteria for Psychotic Illness (OPCRIT) checklist. DRD4 variants were not associated with symptomatology of major psychosis. Our present results, obtained in an independent German sample, did not confirm the association between DRD4 variants and delusional symptomatology. However it should be considered that the original sample included a much higher rate of mood disorders and this could partially explain the discrepancy.
Serretti
Alessandro
A
Department of Psychiatry, San Raffaele Institute, Vita-Salute University, Milan, Italy. serretti.alessandro@hsr.it
Lorenzi
Cristina
C
Mandelli
Laura
L
Cichon
Sven
S
Schumacher
Johannes
J
Nöthen
Markus M
MM
Rietschel
Marcella
M
Tullius
Monja
M
Ohlraun
Stephanie
S
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4
C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4