title: Polymorphism of dopamine D2 and D4 receptor genes and Slavic-surnamed alcoholic patients.
abstract: The association between alcoholism and the Taq1 "A" and "B" polymorphic alleles at the DRD2 gene and 48-bp tandem repeat in exon 3 of dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene in 42 unrelated Slavic-surnamed patients and 76 normal controls was examined. The frequency of the A1 allele was higher in alcoholic patients and in alcoholic patients with a family history of alcoholism than in controls (χ²= 3.45, p < 0.001 and χ²)= 3.97, p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, the frequency of the A1 allele was higher in alcoholics with a family history of alcoholism than in alcoholics without a family history (χ²= 3.33, p < 0.001).The results of association analysis for both the Taq1 "B" and DRD4 alleles were negative for alcoholics in general, subgroups of alcoholics and normal controls. However, the 7-repeat allele (DRD4*7R) of DRD4 gene occurred at significantly higher frequency in alcoholics with a family history of alcoholism compared with those without a family history (χ²= 3.42, p < 0.01).The results indicate that the A1 allele of the DRD2 gene is associated with susceptibility to alcoholism in general.The A1 allele, as well as the DRD4*7R allele, is significantly prevalent among alcoholics with a family history, in comparison with alcoholics without a family history, reflecting different roles of genetic factors in development of alcoholism.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology, Ministry of Health, Moscow, Russia. oigor@hotmail.com,
authors.forename: I V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Ovchinnikov
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Druzina
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ovtchinnikova
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zagorovskaya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nebarakova
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Anokhina