title: Cognitive dysfunction and anxious-impulsive personality traits are endophenotypes for drug dependence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Not everyone who takes drugs becomes addicted, but the likelihood of developing drug addiction is greater in people with a family history of drug or alcohol dependence. Relatively little is known about how genetic risk mediates the development of drug dependence. By comparing the phenotypic profile of individuals with and without a family history of addiction, the authors sought to clarify the extent to which cognitive dysfunction and personality traits are shared by family members--and therefore likely to have predated drug dependence--and which aspects are specific to drug-dependent individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors assessed cognitive function and personality traits associated with drug dependence in stimulant-dependent individuals (N=50), their biological siblings without a history of drug dependence (N=50), and unrelated healthy volunteers (N=50).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cognitive function was significantly impaired in the stimulant-dependent individuals across a range of domains. Deficits in executive function and response control were identified in both the stimulant-dependent individuals and in their non-drug-dependent siblings. Drug-dependent individuals and their siblings also exhibited elevated anxious-impulsive personality traits relative to healthy comparison volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deficits in executive function and response regulation as well as anxious-impulsive personality traits may represent endophenotypes associated with the risk of developing cocaine or amphetamine dependence. The identification of addiction endophenotypes may be useful in facilitating the rational development of therapeutic and preventive strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. ke220@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Karen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Ersche
authors.forename: Abigail J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Turton
authors.forename: Samuel R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Edward T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Bullmore
authors.forename: Trevor W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Robbins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D058068:Endophenotypes; D005192:Family Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*