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DRD3 and DAT1 genes in schizophrenia: an association study
R Joober1, A Toulouse, C Benkelfat
1Douglas Hospital Research Centre, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, H4H 1R3, Verdun, Canada. rjoobe@po-box.mcgill.ca
Objective:
To investigate the role of the dopamine receptor 3 (DRD3) and transporter 1 (DAT1) genes in schizophrenia or in modulating its phenotype.
Methods:
a Ser9Gly polymorphism in codon 9 of the DRD3 and a VNTR polymorphism in the DAT1genes were examined in two groups of schizophrenic patients, one of excellent neuroleptic responders (N=42) and one of nonresponders (N=64). A group of healthy volunteers screened for major psychiatric disorders was also included (N=89). In addition, age at onset of psychotic symptoms, attention performance and family loading for schizophrenia spectrum disorders were compared between patients with different genotypes in the DRD3 and DAT1 genes.
Results:
No significant differences in the allelic distribution of the DRD3 and DAT1 polymorphisms were detected between schizophrenic patients and controls. A trend toward an excess of DRD3 genotype Gly/Gly was observed in neuroleptic nonresponder schizophrenic patients compared to controls (chi(2)=3. 30, df=1, p=0.07). No significant differences in age at onset of psychotic symptoms, attention task performance or family loading for schizophrenia spectrum disorders were observed between groups with different DRD3 and DAT1 genotypes.
Conclusion:
These results do not support the role of either of these genes in increasing susceptibility to schizophrenia or in modulating its phenotype in the studied population.