Some series of investigations hold promise that a trait marker for a particular subset of alcoholics may be developed, e.g. severe alcoholism and the dopamine D2 receptor gene; the level of reaction to alcoholism in family history-positive alcoholics; beta-endorphin abnormalities in specific family groups of alcoholics; reduced P3 wave event-related potentials as markers and predictors of development of substance abuse in predisposed youths; reduced growth hormone response to apomorphine as a predictor of relapse to alcoholism in early abstinence; abnormal adenylyl cyclase activity in certain defined subgroups of alcoholics; and abnormal platelet monoamine oxidase levels in subjects with a behavioural predisposition to addictive disorders.
We have therefore typed polymorphisms at the serotonin transporter, dopamine receptor, tryptophan hydroxylase, tyrosine hydoxylase, and monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) loci in 139 unipolar and 131 bipolar patients and investigated associations with gender, number of episodes, age of onset, history of psychotic symptoms, history of suicidal behavior, and history of substance abuse.
In effect, one form of the DRD2 gene, the A1 allele, renders the dopaminergic system inefficient and rewards substance abuse that increases brain dopamine levels.
Brain-Derived-Neurotrophic-Factor (BDNF) is involved in the neurodevelopment of dopaminergic (DA)-related systems and interacts with the meso-limbic DA systems, involved in the therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs and substance abuse.
Examination of VMAT2 variants can provide potential insights into roles for allelic variants at these loci in variant drug responses and in diseases linked to monoaminergic systems, including substance abuse and Parkinson's disease.
Substance abuse disorder and major depression appear to be associated with the h5-HTR(1B)G861C locus in the patient population, but other psychopathologies such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, and suicide attempts were not found to be associated with this polymorphism.
Some studies show that a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism affecting enzyme activity was associated with personality characteristics and diseases, such as novelty-seeking personality, substance abuse, and heroin addiction, whose features are similar to ADHD or are associated with ADHD.
Finally, we consider the potential for selective 5-HT(2C) agonists as therapies for substance abuse disorders and the medical implications for different 5-HT(2C) receptor isoforms generated by RNA editing.
The dopamine D4 receptor gene contains a polymorphic sequence consisting of a variable number of 48-base-pair (bp) repeats, and there have been a number of reports that this polymorphism is associated with variation in novelty seeking or in substance abuse and addictive behaviors.
To investigate the effects of substance abuse on HIV infections, we compared virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and the expression of IL-16, TGF-beta1, and CXCR4 in three different cohorts of HIV-infected patients: (1) long-term nonprogressors (LT-NPs) of HIV infection who do not use recreational drugs; (2) nondrugs using normal progressors (NPs), and (3) drugs using NPs.
To investigate the effects of substance abuse on HIV infections, we compared virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and the expression of IL-16, TGF-beta1, and CXCR4 in three different cohorts of HIV-infected patients: (1) long-term nonprogressors (LT-NPs) of HIV infection who do not use recreational drugs; (2) nondrugs using normal progressors (NPs), and (3) drugs using NPs.
Furthermore, there was no difference between clinical parameters (e.g., prognosis psychosis, spontaneous relapse, or poly-substance abuse) and the two SNPs of BDNF gene.
The A1 allele of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) is associated with a reduced number of dopamine binding sites in the brain and with the increased likelihood of substance abuse and addictive behavior.
This study suggests that type 1 sigma receptor gene is unlikely to play a major role in substance abuse liability and/or the development of MAP psychosis.
This study suggests that t-PA/plasminogen system is unlikely to be a major contributor to the substance abuse liability and/or the development of MAP psychosis.
This study suggests that t-PA/plasminogen system is unlikely to be a major contributor to the substance abuse liability and/or the development of MAP psychosis.
Serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) genotype was previously found associated with substance use disorders, particularly in the subjects with comorbid antisocial behavior, and with temperament and personality traits at risk for substance abuse.
Bipolar disorder has known as a high risk factor for substance abuse and dependence such as alcohol and illegal drugs.Recently, Kakiuchi et al. reported that the -116C/G polymorphism in the promoter region of the X-box binding protein 1 (XBP-1) gene, which translates a transcription factor specific for endoplasmic reticulum stress caused by misfolded proteins, was associated with bipolar disorders and schizophrenia in a Japanese population.
A polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) yielding a short (S) and long (L) allele has been associated with severity of substance abuse.