Dopamine DRD4 receptor polymorphism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Mol Psychiatry. 1998 Sep;3(5):419-26. doi: 10.1038/sj.mp.4000432.

Abstract

A polymorphism in the dopamine receptor 4 gene (DRD4) has been related to novelty seeking, Tourette's syndrome, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The variability is in a 48-bp repeat in exon 3 of the gene (a transmembrane region). This study examined the relation of the 7-repeat (i.e., high-risk) allele to questionnaire-based diagnoses of ADHD (both combined type and inattentive type). Several positive findings were obtained for ADHD-inattentive type. In an association test, the 7-repeat allele occurred more frequently in children with ADHD-inattentive type than in control children. In genetically discordant sibling pairs, the sibling with a greater number of 7-repeat alleles displayed more inattentive symptoms than his/her co-sibling with fewer 7-repeat alleles. For ADHD-combined type, the 7-repeat allele frequency was greater than that in the control sample. However, a quantitative transmission disequilibrium test yielded no significant linkage of the 7-repeat allele with hyperactive-impulsive symptoms. A categorical TDT yielded no significant findings, but the number of transmissions was small, especially for ADHD-inattentive type.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Alleles
  • Arizona
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / genetics*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Ethnicity
  • Exons
  • Genotype
  • Georgia
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Polymorphism, Genetic*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / genetics*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D4
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

  • DRD4 protein, human
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2
  • Receptors, Dopamine D4