title: DBH*444G/A polymorphism of the dopamine-beta-hydroxylase gene is associated with alcoholism but not with severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
abstract: As the enzyme dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH) converts dopamine to norepinephrine and both transmitters seem to be involved in the pathology of alcoholism and severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, the gene encoding DbetaH (DBH) was applied to explore the genetic background of alcoholism and severe withdrawal symptoms. 102 healthy control subjects and 208 alcoholics, including 97 patients with a history of mild withdrawal symptoms, 57 with a history of alcohol withdrawal seizure (AWS) and 82 with a history of delirium tremens (DT) were genotyped for the DBH*444G/A polymorphism revealing a significantly elevated frequency of genotypes carrying the A-allele (p = 0.02; after Bonferroni adjustment for multiple tests) in alcoholics compared to healthy controls. Frequencies of alleles and genotypes of individuals with mild withdrawal symptoms did not differ significantly from those of patients with DT or AWS.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. michael.koehnke@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Köhnke
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kolb
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Köhnke
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D020268:Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase