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Variation in GABRA2 predicts drinking behavior in project MATCH subjects
Lance O Bauer1, Jonathan Covault, Ofer Harel
1Department of Psychiatry, Alcohol Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-2103, USA.
Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|October 24, 2007
Summary
Genetic variations in the GABRA2 gene influence alcohol dependence risk and treatment outcomes. Specific GABRA2 genotypes affect drinking probabilities and enhance the effectiveness of twelve-step facilitation therapy over other methods.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Psychiatry
- Alcoholism Research
Background:
- Previous research established a link between GABRA2 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and alcohol dependence risk.
- The current study investigates a GABRA2 SNP's association with alcohol involvement and psychosocial treatment efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association of a GABRA2 SNP with alcohol involvement metrics.
- To determine if GABRA2 genotype influences the effectiveness of different psychosocial alcoholism treatments.
Main Methods:
- DNA samples from 812 European-American participants in the Project MATCH trial were analyzed.
- Participants received Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), or twelve-step facilitation (TSF).
- Daily drinking and heavy drinking probabilities were assessed during treatment and for 12 months post-treatment.
Main Results:
- Individuals with the low-risk GABRA2 allele showed reduced daily drinking and heavy drinking probabilities.
- This low-risk allele correlated with greater differences in drinking outcomes across treatments.
- The low-risk allele amplified the superiority of TSF compared to CBT and MET.
Conclusions:
- GABRA2 genotype can modify drinking behavior variance, impacting statistical power in treatment efficacy studies.
- Assessing genetic vulnerability, specifically GABRA2 genotype, may be crucial for understanding psychosocial treatment effectiveness in alcoholism.
