title: DRD2 C313T and DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphisms and physical activity of healthy men in Lower Silesia, Poland (HALS study).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both animal and human studies have proved that the dopaminergic system of the brain controls many aspects of behavior, e.g. motivation, addiction, motor movement, locomotion. It has been hypothesized that dopamine signalling may regulate spontaneous physical activity as well.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Literature data suggests that an intact function of dopamine receptors (DRD2-DRD4) inhibits physical activity. This study searched for associations between a propensity to be active (or sedentary) and genetic variants of DRD2 and DRD4.
  
  
  METHODS
  Invitations to participate in the study were sent to 900 randomly selected, adult men living in Lower Silesia, Poland. Genotyping of DRD2 C313T and DRD4 48-bp VNTR polymorphisms of enrolled subjects (371 (DRD2 C313T) and 397 (DRD4 48-bp VNTR)) was performed. Level of physical activity was evaluated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No associations were found between level of physical activity (low, moderate, high) and the two polymorphisms: DRD2 C313T (p = 0.49) and DRD4 48-bp VNTR (p = 0.31). Studied subjects did not differ as to the number of hours spent sitting either.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results exclude the presence of significant relationships between polymorphic variants of the dopamine receptors genes and the level of physical activity in men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine & Nutrition, University School of Physical Education, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland. jozkow@gmail.com
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jozkow
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slowinska-Lisowska
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laczmanski
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medras
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D009043:Motor Activity; D011044:Poland; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C581293:DRD2 protein, human; C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4