Allelic variants of dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) and serotonin receptor 5HT2c (HTR2c) and temperament factors: Replication tests

✍ Scribed by K�hn, Kai-Uwe; Meyer, Klaus; N�then, Markus M.; G�nsicke, Michael; Papassotiropoulos, Andreas; Maier, Wolfgang

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 31 KB
• Volume: 88
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0148-7299
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-8628(19990416)88:2<168::aid-ajmg14>3.0.co;2-p

✦ Synopsis

The contribution of genetic factors to personality differences between individuals is evidenced by twin and adoption studies. Ebstein et al. [ , 1997aEbstein et al. [ , 1997b] reported an association between the long repeat allele of the dopamine D4-exon-III receptor polymorphism and the human personality dimension novelty seeking (NS), between the 5HT2c-ser-23 allele and reward dependence, and an interaction between both receptor polymorphisms and reward dependence. Subsequent replication tests mainly reported controversial results for the association between DRD4-exon-III long repeat and NS. We examined a homogeneous study population of 190 healthy male students of middle European descent, aged between 20 and 30 years using Cloninger's TPQ in order to replicate Ebstein's findings. Using a significance level of 1%, no association between the long repeat of the DRD4-exon-III polymorphism and NS and between the 5HT2c receptor polymorphism and reward dependence was found, but a significant interaction effect of DRD4 and 5HT2c receptor polymorphisms on reward dependence was observed in accordance to Ebstein's report.