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Research Article| Volume 40, ISSUE 8, P776-784, October 15, 1996

D2 dopamine receptor Gene TaqI A1 and B1 restriction fragment length polymorphisms: Enhanced frequencies in psychostimulant-preferring polysubstance abusers

  • Author Footnotes
    1 A.M. Persico's present address is Laboratory of Neuroscience, Libero Istituto Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Longoni 83, 00155 Rome, Italy.
    Antonio M. Persico
    Footnotes
    1 A.M. Persico's present address is Laboratory of Neuroscience, Libero Istituto Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Longoni 83, 00155 Rome, Italy.
    Affiliations
    Molecular Neurobiology Branch, Intramural Research Program/Division of Intramural Research, Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, USA
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  • Geoffrey Bird
    Affiliations
    Molecular Neurobiology Branch, Intramural Research Program/Division of Intramural Research, Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, USA
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  • Frances H. Gabbay
    Affiliations
    Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, USA
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  • George R. Uhl
    Correspondence
    Address reprint requests to George R. Uhl, MD, PhD, Office of the Director, Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health, Box 5180, Baltimore, MD 21224.
    Affiliations
    Molecular Neurobiology Branch, Intramural Research Program/Division of Intramural Research, Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, USA

    Office of the Director, Intramural Research Program/Division of Intramural Research, Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, USA

    Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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  • Author Footnotes
    1 A.M. Persico's present address is Laboratory of Neuroscience, Libero Istituto Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Via Longoni 83, 00155 Rome, Italy.
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(95)00483-1
D2 dopamine receptor Gene TaqI A1 and B1 restriction fragment length polymorphisms: Enhanced frequencies in psychostimulant-preferring polysubstance abusers
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      Several lines of evidence suggest that presence of a D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) gene variant marked by TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) might contribute to vulnerability to substance abuse. Psychostimulants display the most robust enhancement of dopamine activity in mesolimbic/mesocortical circuits important for behavioral reward. The present study tests the hypothesis that a DRD2 gene variant might be more prominent in polysubstance users who preferentially use psychostimulants than in addicts with preferential opiate use or in those with no drug preference. Polysubstance users with histories of heavy daily preferential psychostimulant use more often displayed one or two copies of the TaqI A1 (27/62 = 43.5% vs 33/119 = 27.7% for controls), and B1 (20/62 = 32.3% vs 23/119 = 19.8% for controls) markers at the DRD2 locus. DRD2 gene marker distributions in abusers with more prominent opiate use, or those with no history of drug preference, were similar to control genotypes. Psychostimulant-preferring drug users also reported earlier onset of psychostimulant use. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that DRD2 gene variants marked by these polymorphisms may work, probably in concert with other genetic and environmental factors, to enhance vulnerability to psychostimulant abuse.

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      Article info

      Publication history

      Received in revised form: September 6, 1995
      Received: June 3, 1994

      Footnotes

      This work was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and by NIDA grant DA07110 to F.H.G.

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(95)00483-1

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