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No association between D3 dopamine receptor (DRD3) alleles and cocaine dependence
Author(s) -
FREIMER MARTIN,
KRANZLER HENRY,
SATEL SALLY,
LACOBELLE JAMES,
SKIPSEY KITZIA,
CHARNEY DENNIS,
GELERNTER JOEL
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1080/1355621961000124896
Subject(s) - dopamine receptor d3 , allele , dopamine , dopamine receptor , locus (genetics) , restriction fragment length polymorphism , cocaine dependence , genetics , dopamine transporter , biology , medicine , endocrinology , psychology , genotype , gene , dopaminergic , neuroscience , addiction
Cocaine is thought to act in the brain primarily by blocking dopamine re‐uptake. The dopamine D3 receptor (genetic locus DRD3) is localized to brain regions that have been implicated in the reinforcing effects of a number of substances of abuse, including cocaine. The DRD3 coding region contains a polymorphism identifiable as a polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP). This polymorphism leads to an amino acid substitution at position 9 in the extracellular N‐terminus of the D3 dopamine receptor. We examined alleles of the DRD3 gene in cocaine dependence using a genetic association strategy in samples of 62 white and 62 black cocaine‐dependent individuals. Comparisons were made with local (Connecticut) control subjects for both groups, and with a larger sample of literature controls (for the white subjects) and a contrast group of schizophrenic patients (for the black subjects). No association was found between cocaine dependence and DRD3 alleles in either group (Bonferroni corrected). There was a significant difference in allele frequency between whites and blacks. These results are consistent with no role for genetic variation of the D3 dopamine receptor in susceptibility to cocaine dependence.