Dopamine D2 receptor genotype is associated with increased mortality at a 10-year follow-up of alcohol-dependent individuals.
OBJECTIVE
Because the TAQ1 A1 allele may be associated with alcohol-related medical illnesses, and medical illnesses in alcohol-dependent individuals are associated with increased mortality, we test the hypothesis that the TAQ1 A1 allele of the DRD2 gene is associated with increased mortality in alcohol-dependent individuals.


METHODS
Following an index treatment episode, a 10-year follow-up study in 366 alcohol-dependent individuals was performed. The TAQ1 A1/A2 DRD2 genotype and allele frequencies were compared between those deceased and those still living at the 10-year point. In addition, the genotype and allele frequencies of these alcohol-dependent individuals were compared to that in 578 control subjects.


RESULTS
The prevalence of the A1 allele differed between the deceased and living patients and the controls: 47% of the deceased were A1+, compared to 37% of the living patients and 32% of the controls. The frequency of the TAQ1 A1/A2 genotype also differed between the groups. Thus, 43% had the A1/A2 genotype in comparison with 32% in the living patients and 29% in the controls. The TAQ 1 A1 allele frequency differed between the groups. The frequency of A1 allele was 25% in the deceased patients compared to 21% in the living patients and 17% in the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The TAQ I A1 allele of the DRD2 gene (or DRD2 gene region) was associated with increased mortality over a 10-year period in alcohol-dependent individuals.
Berggren
Ulf
U
Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, SE-405 30 Göteborg, Sweden.
Fahlke
Claudia
C
Berglund
Kristina J
KJ
Wadell
Kathleen
K
Zetterberg
Henrik
H
Blennow
Kaj
K
Thelle
Dag
D
Balldin
Jan
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*
D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2