title: A genetic marker of risk in HIV-infected individuals with a history of hazardous drinking.
abstract: Impulsivity and sensation seeking have been linked to hazardous drinking, increased sexual risk behaviors, and lower treatment adherence among persons living with HIV (PLH). The dopamine active transporter1 (DAT1or SLC6A3) gene has been linked to impulsivity and sensation seeking in several populations but has not been investigated among populations of PLH. This study used data from 201 PLH who report a recent history of heavy episodic drinking. Results indicate that DAT1*10R vs DAT1*9R genotype was related to higher propensity for risk taking (standardized difference score (d) = 0.30 [95% CI: 0.02;0.59]), more hazardous drinking (d = 0.35 [0.05;0.64]), and more condomless sex (rate ratio (RR)= 2.35[1.94; 2.85]), but were counter-intuitively associated with fewer sexual partners (RR = 0.65[0.43;0.91]) and possibly better treatment adherence (d = 0.32 [-0.01;0.65]). Results are consistent with the suggested associations between DAT1 and risk-taking behavior. The counter-intuitive finding for partner selection and treatment adherence may be evidence of additional factors that place PLH at risk for engaging in hazardous drinking as well as relationship difficulties and problems with treatment adherence (e.g., depressive symptoms, avoidant coping, trauma history). Caution is required when using a single gene variant as a marker of complex behaviors and these findings need to be replicated using larger samples and additional variants.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , USA.|b Department of Psychiatry , Rhode Island Hospital , Providence , USA.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , USA.|b Department of Psychiatry , Rhode Island Hospital , Providence , USA.|c Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry , Rhode Island Hospital , Providence , USA.
authors.forename: Nicole R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Nugent
authors.affiliation: d Department of Medical Education , The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , USA.
authors.forename: Jeanne R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , USA.|c Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry , Rhode Island Hospital , Providence , USA.
authors.forename: Valerie S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Knopik
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , USA.|b Department of Psychiatry , Rhode Island Hospital , Providence , USA.
authors.forename: Larry K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: e Department of Medicine , Lifespan Hospitals and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , USA.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lally
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University , Providence , USA.|b Department of Psychiatry , Rhode Island Hospital , Providence , USA.|c Division of Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry , Rhode Island Hospital , Providence , USA.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: McGeary
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; C493214:SLC6A3 protein, human
keywords: Dopamine Active Transporter (DAT1); Hazardous drinking; SLC6A3; medication adherence; sexual risk behaviors