Association Study Between the 441C Ins/Del and <i>TaqI</i> A Polymorphisms of the Dopamine D2 Receptor Gene and Alcoholism

The -141 C Ins/Del polymorphism in the promoter region of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) and the DRD2 TaqI A polymorphisms in 209 Japanese alcoholics and 152 age- and sex-matched Japanese controls may affect the vulnerability for alcoholism presumably through different expression of DRD 2 in the Japanese.

Abstract

Dopamine D2 receptors have been implicated in the biology of alcohol preference. We examined the‐141 C Ins/Del polymorphism in the promoter region of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) and the DRD2 Taql A polymorphisms in 209 Japanese alcoholics and 152 age‐ and sex‐matched Japanese controls. The Ins allele was significantly increased in the alcoholics, compared with the controls ( p &lt; 0.002, odds ratio = 1.82). The Taql A1 allele tended to be more frequent in the alcoholics than in the controls ( p &lt; 0.04). Linkage disequilibrium between these two polymorphisms was weak (a maximum δ value = 0.13). The ‐141 C Ins/Del polymorphism may affect the vulnerability for alcoholism presumably through different expression of DRD2 in the Japanese.