Background
We recently described a preliminary association between the hypofunctional seven-repeat
allele of the dopamine-4 receptor gene (DRD4) and increased maximal lifetime body
mass index in women with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In this study, we examined
whether binge eating behavior mediated this putative association.
Methods
The study sample consisted of 131 women with winter SAD who reported increased intake
of high-carbohydrate/high-fat foods during depressive episodes. We compared rates
of binge eating behavior in the two genotypic groups defined by the presence or absence
of the seven-repeat allele of DRD4.
Results
Consistent with our working hypothesis, the proportion of binge eaters was significantly
greater in probands with the seven-repeat allele (18 of 46, 39.1%) than in probands
without this allele (14 of 85, 16.5%) [χ2(1)= 8.32, p = .004; odds ratio = 3.25, 95% confidence interval 1.43, 7.41].
Conclusions
Pending replication in other samples, these results point to a genetic factor that
could help in the early identification and treatment of women at higher risk for seasonal
weight gain associated with binge eating behavior. At a theoretic level, the current
results suggest a novel link between evolutionary models of seasonal weight gain on
the one hand and the DRD4 gene on the other.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
August 25,
2004
Received in revised form:
July 16,
2004
Received:
March 24,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
