Association between the DRD2-141C Insertion/Deletion polymorphism and schizophrenia

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the genetic component is an important risk factor for the development of schizophrenia. The genes that codify the different compounds of the dopaminergic system have created interest for molecular investigations in patients with schizophrenia because the antipsychotic drugs, especially those of first generation, act on this cerebral system. Thus the aim of the present study was to investigate the possible association between the -141 Ins/Del (rs1799732) polymorphism of the dopamine receptor type 2 (DRD2) and schizophrenia. The distribution of the alleles and genotypes of the studied polymorphism was investigated in a sample of 229 patients and 733 controls. There were statistical differences in the allelic (chi2=9.78; p=0.001) and genotypic genotypic (chi2=12.74; p=0.001) distributions between patients and controls. Thus the -141C Ins/Del polymorphism of the DRD2 gene (allele Ins) was associated to the SCZ phenotype in the investigated sample.