The potential association between heroin dependence and 21 SNPs (rs2270162, rs2851510, rs513150, rs595681, rs210606, rs10237984, rs13228123, rs10235781, rs6969375, rs6943555, rs10251416, rs17141963, rs12669427, rs723340, rs2293507, rs2293508, rs6960426, rs9886351, rs2293501, rs10277450, rs1918425) of AUTS2 was examined in a Chinese Han population using the MassARRAY system.
The autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene has been reported to be associated with autism, suicide, alcohol consumption, and heroin dependence.
Our data indicate that the AUTS2 gene might be associated with heroin dependence, and reduced AUTS2 gene expression might confer increased susceptibility to heroin dependence.