Increased prevalence of the seven-repeat variant of the dopamine D4 receptor gene in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder with tics

Neurosci Lett. 1997 Aug 1;231(1):1-4. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(97)00523-5.

Abstract

The polymorphism characterized by a varying number of 48 bp repeats (VNTR) in the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene was examined in 61 obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) probands with and without tics. Most of the OCD patients with tics showed at least one copy of the 7-fold variant compared to those affected subjects without tics (91 vs. 48%, respectively, Yates corrected chi2 = 5.54, P = 0.018). Similarly, a higher number of copies of this common variant were detected in the group of probands displaying tics compared to those OCD's without tics (Yates corrected chi2 = 4.66, P = 0.03). Our study suggests that the seven-repeat allele of the DRD4 gene could be a factor in the phenotypic variance of tics among OCD individuals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • DNA / analysis
  • Family Health
  • Female
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / genetics*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / genetics*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D4
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid*
  • Tic Disorders / genetics*
  • Tourette Syndrome / genetics

Substances

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