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Human μ‐Opioid Receptor Variation and Alcohol Dependence
Author(s) -
Sander Thomas,
Gscheidel Nicola,
Wendel Birgit,
Samochowiec Jerzy,
Smolka Michael,
Rommelspacher Hans,
Schmidt Lutz G.,
Hoehe Margret R.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1998.tb05923.x
Subject(s) - alcohol dependence , alcohol , allele , medicine , polymorphism (computer science) , genotype , genetics , biology , gene , biochemistry
μ‐Opioid receptor‐mediated neurotransmission is involved in the reward, tolerance, and withdrawal effects of alcohol. The present association study tested the hypothesis that the common Asn40Asp substitution polymorphism in the N‐terminal domain of the human fi‐opioid receptor (OPRM) confers vulnerability to subtypes of alcohol dependence. The genotypes of the AsrvWAsp substitution polymorphism were assessed in 327 German alcohol‐dependent subjects (according to ICD‐10) and in 340 control subjects of German descent, using an assay based on allele‐specific polymerase chain reaction. To select alcoholics with a presumed high genetic load, three subgroups were delineated, marked by (1) a family history of parental alcoholism ( n = 114); (2) the inability to abstain from alcohol before the age of 26 years (n = 73); and (3) a history of alcohol withdrawal seizure or delirium (n = 107). The frequency of the Asp40 allele did not differ significantly between the controls [f(Asp40) = 0.078] and either the entire group of alcoholics [f(Asp40) = 0.107; p = 0.066], or the alcoholics with parental alcoholism [f(Asp40) = 0.114; p = 0.094], or the early‐onset alcoholics [f (Asp40) = 0.096; p = 0.471] or the alcoholics with severe withdrawal symptoms [f(Asp40) = 0.098; p = 0.350]. Our results do not provide evidence that the common Asn40Asp substitution polymorphism of the OPRM gene contributes a major effect to the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence. Key Words: Alcohol Dependence, OPRM fi‐Opioid Receptor, Association, Genetics.