Analysis of Selected Variants of DRD2 and ANKK1 Genes in Combat Athletes

Abstract

The level of physical activity is conditioned by many different factors, including, among others, the personality traits of a person. Important is the fact that personality traits are a moderately heritable factor and on the basis of the analysis of several genes, various lifetime outcomes can be predicted. One of the most important pathways influencing personality traits is connected to the dopaminergic system; hence, we decided to analyze the DRD2 PROM. rs1799732, DRD2 rs1076560, DRD2 Tag1D rs1800498, DRD2 Ex8 rs6276, DRD2Tag1B rs1079597 and ANKK1 Tag1A rs180049. The research group included 258 male athletes (mean age = 26.02; SD = 8.30), whereas the control group was 284 healthy male volunteers matched for age (mean age = 22.89; SD = 4.78), both of Caucasian origin and without history of substance dependency or psychosis. Genomic DNA was extracted from venous blood using standard procedures. Genotyping was conducted with the real-time PCR method. Differences in the frequency of the DRD2Tag1B rs1079597 gene polymorphism were found between people practicing combat sports and the control group, and the DRD2 PROM. rs1799732, DRD2 rs1076560, DRD2 Tag1D rs1800498, DRD2 Ex8 rs6276, DRD2Tag1B rs1079597 and ANKK1 Tag1A rs1800497 genotypes and allele frequencies in the studied sample did not differ between the analyzed groups. Hence, we considered these polymorphic places as an interesting area for the further search for unambiguous associations between personality traits and attitude towards physical effort.

Athletic performance, sports experience, and exercise addiction: an association study on ANKK1 gene polymorphism rs1800497

“…Despite insignificance, wild-type (G/G) genotype distribution was higher compared to other ones within each group ( Table 1 ). Michałowska-Sawczyn et al (2021) also obtained similar findings, showing that the number of athletes with the G/G genotype was higher, although there were no significant differences observed in their study that included 258 sportsmen and 284 control individuals. Similarly, in another study involving elite rugby players, it was reported that the prevalence of the G/G genotype was higher ( Antrobus et al, 2022a , b ).…”

“…Additionally, exercise addiction can negatively impact an individual’s mental health, leading to decreased motivation and focus, which can also hinder athletic performance. Therefore, while exercise addiction and athletic performance can be related, it is essential to maintain a balance between training, and recovery and to seek professional help if addiction symptoms are present ( Murakami et al, 2017 ; Michałowska-Sawczyn et al, 2021 ; Antrobus et al, 2022a , b ).…”