No association of alcohol dependence with a NMDA-receptor 2B gene variant

Combination treatment with nefazodone and cognitive-behavioral therapy for relapse prevention in alcohol-dependent men: a randomized controlled study.

Background This study evaluated the serotonergic antidepressant nefazodone versus placebo and specific cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) versus nondirective group counseling (GC) for relapse prevention in alcohol dependence in a large prospective, randomized, and placebo-controlled double-blind study at 3 German university centers. Method 242 male patients fulfilling at least 5 criteria for alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 were eligible, after detoxification, for one of the following treatment combinations: nefazodone + CBT, nefazodone + GC, placebo + CBT, and placebo + GC. Either nefazodone or placebo was administered throughout the evaluation period of 15 months. Either …

Association of aMAOAgene variant with generalized anxiety disorder, but not with panic disorder or major depression

This study was conducted to detect a possible association of a T941G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), or major depression (MD). Fifty GAD patients (34 females and 16 males), 38 PD patients (21 females and 17 males), and 108 MD patients (80 females and 28 males) were included. The comparison group consisted of 276 (132 females and 144 males) unrelated healthy individuals. The 941T allele was over-represented in patients suffering from GAD (chi(2) = 6.757; df = 1; P < 0.01, not corrected for multiple testing) when compared to healthy volunteers. No association was observed in MD or PD. Thi…

No Association Between the Dopamine D2 Receptor Taq I A1 Allele and Earlier Age of Onset of Alcohol Dependence According to Different Specified Criteria

BACKGROUND: The presence of the A1 allele of the dopamine D2 receptor TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism has been reported to be associated with an earlier age of onset of alcohol dependence as a marker for severity. METHODS: We tested this hypothesis with special regard to the definition of the age of onset of alcoholism in 243 patients with alcohol dependence, according to DSM-IV criteria assessed by the standardized interview Munchner Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI), consecutively admitted for detoxification. Additionally, the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was performed. The TaqIA polymorphism was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the PCR…

The HTR1B 861GC receptor polymorphism among patients suffering from alcoholism, major depression, anxiety disorders and narcolepsy.

Abstract The HTR1B receptor gene has been linked to antisocial alcoholism in a Finnish population and an American Indian tribe [Lappalainen et al., Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 55 (1998) 989]. Using a candidate gene approach, we genotyped 209 patients with alcoholism, 108 patients with major depression, 32 patients with panic disorder, 50 patients with generalized anxiety disorder, 58 patients with narcolepsy and 74 healthy volunteers for the HTR1B 861G>C polymorphism. There was a higher frequency of the HTR1B 861G alleles among the alcohol-dependent patients as compared to the control subjects (χ 2 =4.02, d.f.=2, P =0.04). However, the association resulted from higher frequencies of the opposite…

“Abnormal Response to Negative Feedback”

Zusammenfassung: Es wurden alkoholabhängige Patienten unter Stressbedingungen neuropsychologisch untersucht. Fragestellung: Zeigt sich wie bei depressiven Patienten eine abnorme Reaktion auf negative Rückmeldung oder gar eine generelle Stressanfälligkeit? Die alkoholabhängigen Patienten wurden in der Testbatterie zur Aufmerksamkeitsprüfung (TAP) nach negativer Rückmeldung tendenziell langsamer und die Kontrollpersonen tendenziell schneller. Insgesamt ergab sich ein signifikanter Unterschied in Visuellem Scanning und Reaktionswechsel. Damit ist die “abnormal response to negative feedback” nicht spezifisch für depressive Patienten. Unter 90 dBA Lärm als Stressor zeigten sich dagegen keine Ef…

Tyrosine hydroxylase Val-81-Met polymorphism associated with early-onset alcoholism

The present study examined the association of the Tyrosine hydroxylase Val-81-Met polymorphism with alcohol dependence. One hundred and fifty-nine patients in a psychiatric unit with alcohol dependence were genotyped as well as 92 healthy volunteers. The Val allele was more frequent in patients with alcohol dependence (69.5%) than in controls (62.5%). This effect was largely due to the association with early-onset alcoholism (77.8%), whereas no difference was noted between late-onset patients and controls. Our results suggest a role for tyrosine hydroxylase in early-onset alcoholism.

The TPH intron 7 A218C polymorphism and TCI dimension scores in alcohol-dependent patients: hints to nonspecific psychopathology

Abstract Aims A linkage of certain alleles of the tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) intron 7 A218C polymorphism to suicidality and antisocial behaviour has been described. The aim of our study was to find any association between dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) indicating impulsivity and the TPH polymorphism alleles in unselected alcohol-dependent patients and age-matched controls. Methods We examined 159 alcohol-dependent patients and 161 controls with the TCI and genotyped them for the TPH intron 7 A218C polymorphism alleles. Results Although homozygous TPH genotypes were found more often in alcohol-dependent patients than in controls, an association between TCI dime…