title: Association between DRD2, 5-HTTLPR, and ALDH2 genes and specific personality traits in alcohol- and opiate-dependent patients.
abstract: The vulnerability of developing addictions is associated with genetic factors and personality traits. The predisposing genetic variants and personality traits may be common to all addictions or specific to a particular class of addiction. To investigate the relationship between genetic variances, personality traits, and their interactions in addiction are important. We recruited 175 opiate-dependent patients, 102 alcohol-dependent patients, and 111 healthy controls. All participants were diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria and assessed with Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). The dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2), 5-HTT-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR), and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genes were genotyped using PCR. The genotype frequency of the 5-HTTLPR and ALDH2 was significantly different between the patients and controls (P=0.013, P<0.001, respectively), and borderline significant (P=0.05) for DRD2 polymorphism. Both Novelty Seeking (NS) and Harm Avoidance (HA) scores were higher for patients (P<0.001). After stratification by candidate genes, addicts with ALDH2 *1/*1 interacting with the low-functional group of DRD2 and 5-HTTLPR genes have higher HA traits, whereas addicts with ALDH2 *1/*2 or *2/*2 and low-functional group of DRD2 and 5-HTTLPR genes have higher NS traits. We concluded that addicts, both alcohol- and opiate-dependent patients, have common genetic variants in DRD2 and 5-HTTLPR but specific for ALDH2. Higher NS and HA traits were found in both patient groups with the interaction with DRD2, 5-HTTLPR, and ALDH2 genes. The ALDH2 gene variants had different effect in the NS and HA dimension while the DRD2 and 5-HTTLPR genes did not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzu-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sheng-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shiou-Lan
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: San-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yun-Hsuan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Nian-Sheng
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.forename: Chen-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hui Lee
authors.forename: Tzung Lieh
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Yen Kuang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ru-Band
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: C581293:DRD2 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C096127:ALDH2 protein, human; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial