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If a genetic association between the D2 dopamine receptor genotype and alcoholism is mediated by altered dopamine function, then a stronger association might be found in alcoholics who are deviant in indices of dopamine function and by comparing alcoholics to nonalcoholics matched for ethnic origin. Therefore, we evaluated the D2/TaqI polymorphism in 29 impulsive violent alcoholic Finns, 17 nonimpulsive violent alcoholic Finns and 36 Finnish controls free of mental disorders, alcoholism and substance abuse. In 37 of the alcoholics, we measured cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol. There was no relationship between D2/Taq 1 genotype and concentrations of these monoamine metabolites in this group, which exhibits lower CSF HVA and 5-HIAA as compared to controls. There was also no genotypic difference between Finnish alcoholics and nonalcoholic controls. The lack of relationship between D2/Taq1 genotype and HVA concentration was replicated in 24 Caucasian alcoholics in the United States.
Goldman et al. (Sun,) studied this question.