Confirmation of association of the GABRA2 gene with alcohol dependence by subtype-specific analysis

Objectives: Three recent studies revealed a haplotypic association of alcohol dependence with the gene encoding the {alpha}2 subunit of the {gamma}-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor (GABRA2). The present study examined whether variation of the GABRA2 gene confers susceptibility to different subtypes of alcohol dependence in the German population. Methods: A total of 257 German alcohol-dependent patients and 88 healthy population controls were genotyped for six single-nucleotide polymorphisms covering the middle part and the 3′ end of GABRA2. Allelic, genotypic and haplotypic comparisons were done for subgroups of alcohol-dependent patients with a presumed high genetic load. Results:…