Smoking status moderates the association of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene VNTR polymorphism with selective processing of smoking-related cues.
Recently, a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene has been reported to be associated with greater craving and more attention to smoking cues, following a cue-elicited craving procedure. We investigated whether the DRD4 VNTR 7-repeat polymorphism is associated with selective processing of smoking-related stimuli, using a modified Stroop task, and whether smoking status moderates this association. Thirty-one current smokers and 17 ex-smokers attended a single testing session and completed the modified Stroop task. The experimental design included two between-subjects factors of smoking status (current smoker, ex-smoker) and DRD4 genotype (short, long). The DRD4 VNTR polymorphism was associated with selective processing of smoking-related stimuli in ex-smokers but not in current smokers. Our data, therefore, provide partial support for our primary hypothesis and extend on previous work which suggests a role for variation at the DRD4 locus in modulating reactivity to drug-related cues.
Munafò
Marcus R
MR
Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK. marcus.munafo@bristol.ac.uk
Johnstone
Elaine C
EC
D001288:Attention; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000235:genetics*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*
C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4