Association between dopamine D4 receptor (D4DR) Exon III polymorphism and novelty seeking in Japanese subjects

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the association between novelty seeking and D4DR gene polymorphism in the Japanese population. The 48 bp repeat polymorphism in the third exon of the dopamine D4 receptor gene of 153 normal female students was correlated with personality feature results from the Japanese version of Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory. The Novelty Seeking subscale of Exploratory Excitability had a significant association with long alleles of the polymorphic exon III repeat sequence of D4DR. Our results suggest that there is an association between long alleles of the polymorphic exon III repeat sequence of D4DR and the personality traits of the Novelty Seeking subscale of Exploratory Excitability, regardless of racial differences in the frequencies of D4DR exon III repeat polymorphism.

Association between novelty seeking and dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) exon III polymorphism in Japanese subjects

“…Differences between genotype group for each TCI score were determined by t-test. Table I, allele frequencies were similar to those observed in other samples from the Japanese population [Nanko et al, 1993;Chang et al, 1996;Ono et al, 1997]. The most abundant allele was the 4 repeat allele followed by the 2 repeat allele, whereas the 6 repeat and 7 repeat alleles were extremely low.…”

“…We used the Japanese version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which is a 226-item questionnaire measuring seven dimensions of personality. The reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the TCI have already been verified in Japan [Kijima et al, 1996;Ono et al, 1997]. Differences between genotype group for each TCI score were determined by t-test.…”

“…A number of genetic association studies have been conducted to obtain further confirmation of the association. Some of the subsequent studies did not replicate these initial findings [Malhorta et al, 1996;Jönsson et al, 1997;Vandenbergh et al, 1997;Sullivan et al, 1998;], whereas other researchers reported additional evidence for the association between this polymorphism and novelty seeking Ono et al, 1997]. It remains to be elucidated whether this polymorphism participates in the determination of this personality dimension.…”

Dopamine and serotonin systems modify environmental effects on human behavior: A review

“…This finding was shortly replicated in many studies (e.g. Noble, Ozkaragoz, Ritchie, Zhang, Belin & Sparkes, 1998;Ono, Manki, Yoshimura et al, 1997), whereas a great number of further studies questioned this association (e.g. Gelernter, Kranzler, Coccaro, Siever, New & Mulgrew, 1997;Herbst, Zonderman, McCrae & Costa, 2000).…”

No association between serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms and personality traits

“…Data from a genomewide screening of American alcoholic sib-pairs supported that chromosome loci at 8p21-23, 18p, 20p, and 21 q would explain most of the genetic variation influencing differences in the personality trait harm avoidance [Cloninger et al, 1998]. With various degrees of evidence it has been proposed that dopamine D4 receptor gene variations influence the personality trait of novelty seeking Ebstein et al, 1996Ebstein et al, , 1997bEbstein et al, , 1998Ono et al, 1997;Noble et al, 1998]. However, several other studies have not been able to replicate the association between dopamine D4 receptor gene and novelty seeking related personality traits [Malhotra et al, 1996;Gelernter et al, 1997;Jönsson et al, 1997Jönsson et al, , 1998Sander et al, 1997;Vandenbergh et al, 1997;Pogue-Geile et al, 1998;Sullivan et al, 1998].…”