title: The -521 C/T variant in the dopamine-4-receptor gene (DRD4) is associated with skiing and snowboarding behavior.
abstract: Sensation seeking is the tendency to seek out new and thrilling experiences and to take risks for the sake of such experiences. A single-nucleotide polymorphism, -521 C/T (rs1800955) in the promoter region of the dopamine-4-receptor gene (DRD4), is associated with approach-related traits including novelty seeking and extraversion, in some, but not all studies. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted on the genetics of risk-taking behavior in sports. Using a joint-analysis approach, we measured sensation seeking in two cohorts of experienced male and female skiers and snowboarders (n = 503) using a sports-specific tool developed for this study, the Contextual Sensation Seeking Questionnaire for Skiing and Snowboarding (CSSQ-S), and a more general trait measure, the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire impulsive sensation-seeking subscale. We detected, and then replicated a significant association between the DRD4 -521CC genotype and sports-specific sensation seeking as measured using the CSSQ-S (P < 0.001). These data suggest that the DRD4 -521 C/T polymorphism contributes to a "risk-taking phenotype" in skiers and snowboarders, but the variant was not associated with impulsive sensation seeking (P = 0.9).
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. cynthia.thomson@ubc.ca
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rupert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005824:Genetics, Behavioral; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000235:genetics*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012865:Skiing
chemical_list: C493599:DRD4 protein, human; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4