2006 - 2007 Publications > Genetics of drug abuse and addiction vulnerability

Genetics of drug abuse and addiction vulnerability

Liu et al 2006 using a 639,401 SNP whole genome association identified 89 genes likely to contain variants that contribute to addiction vulnerability in each of four different samples. Many of the 89 genes identified are cellular adhesion molecules such as semaphorin 3a, contactins, and cadherins. One of the 5 genes identified by Beirut et al with multiple positive SNPs in their study was identified by multiple positive SNPs in multiple samples in this study.  Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2006 Dec 5;141(8):918-25  

Ishiguruo et al 2006 fine mapped a locus on Chromosome 7 for drug addiction that identified NrCAM haplotypes a being associated with substance abuse vulnerability.  Ishiguruo et al  report that expression of NrCAM is regulated by drugs of abuse; shows allele specific gene expression in post-mortem tissue; and the knockout of NrCAM  reduces conditioned place preference to opiates and psychostimulants Neuropsychopharmacology. 2006 Mar;31(3):572-84 

Drgon et al 2006, based on analysis of the COGA sample for alcoholism and the NIDA Baltimore sample for substance abuse in European American and African Americans for SNPs on chromosome 4p12, reports a modest role for GABRA2 variants in addiction vulnerabilities Am J Med   B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2006 Dec 5;141(8):854-60

Flanagan et al 2006 shows that the fatty acid amide hydrolase 385 A/A (P129T) variant is associated with street drug use and problem drug use.  Hum Genet. 2006 Nov;120(4):581-8.

Luo et al 2007 provides the first report that ADH5 and ADH6 genotypes, and diplotypes at ADH1A, ADH1B, ADH1C and ADH7 are associated with drug dependence in European-Americans and/or African-Americans.  This finding may explain the high co-morbidity between alcohol and drug dependence.  Hum Mol Genet. 2007 Feb 15;16(4):380-90