title: The dopamine D2 receptor mediates approach-avoidance tendencies in smokers.
abstract: Dopamine D2 receptors (DRD2) have been strongly implicated in reward processing of natural stimuli and drugs. Using the approach-avoidance task (AAT), we recently demonstrated that smokers show an increased approach-bias toward smoking-related cues but not toward naturally rewarding stimuli. Here, we examined the contribution of the DRD2 Taq1B polymorphism to smokers' and non-smokers' responsivity toward smoking versus naturally rewarding stimuli in the AAT. Smokers carrying the minor B1 allele of the DRD2 Taq1B polymorphism showed reduced approach behavior for food-related pictures compared to non-smokers with the same allele. In the group of smokers, a higher approach-bias toward smoking-related compared to food-related pictures was found in carriers of the B1 allele. This pattern was not evident in smokers homozygous for the B2 allele. In addition, smokers with the B1 allele reported fewer attempts to quit smoking relative to smokers homozygous for the B2 allele. This is the first study demonstrating that behavioral shifts in response to smoking relative to natural rewards in smokers are mediated by the DRD2 Taq1B polymorphism. Our results indicate a reduced natural-reward brain reactivity in smokers with a genetically determined decrease in dopaminergic activity (i.e., reduction of DRD2 availability). It remains to be determined whether this pattern might be related to a different outcome after psychological cessation interventions, i.e., AAT modification paradigms, in smokers.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochumer Fenster, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787, Bochum, Germany. armin.zlomuzica@rub.de.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zlomuzica
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochumer Fenster, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Alla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machulska
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, MRC Social Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochumer Fenster, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Glischinski
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochumer Fenster, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787, Bochum, Germany.|Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, MRC Social Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, UK.|School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, MRC Social Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Thalia C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Eley
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochumer Fenster, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Margraf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D012201:Reward; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C581293:DRD2 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2
keywords: Approach-avoidance; DRD2 Taq1B polymorphism; Dopamine D2 receptor; Nicotine; Smoking