Objective: It has been demonstrated that the P300 components, a positive event-related potential, are heritable and are influenced by dopaminergic activity. We tested the genetic effects of the dopaminergic system in P300 components by association study.
Methods: In a sample population consisting of 120 normal young Han-Chinese females, we explored the association between the P300 components, and, the genetic polymorphisms including the dopamine D3 receptor (serine-to-glycine polymorphism in exon I), the dopamine D4 receptor (variable number tandem repeat polymorphism in exon III), and the dopamine transporter (variable number tandem repeat polymorphism in promoter region).
Results: No associations were demonstrated between the polymorphisms of these three genes and the P300 components.
Conclusions: Our negative findings suggest that these genetic polymorphisms do not play a major role in the modulation of P300 event-related potentials.