GENETIC ASSOCIATION STUDY BETWEEN PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLING AND A FUNCTIONAL DNA POLYMORPHISM AT THE D4 RECEPTOR GENE

A Spanish sample consisting of 68 Caucasian pathological gambling pati ents (47 males and 21 females) and 68 unaffected controls were screene d by the molecular analysis of a functional DNA polymorphism in the lo cus for the D4 dopamine receptor gene, Our results are consistent with the existence of a significant association between genetic Variants a t a DRD4 gene polymorphism and pathological gambling (chi(2) = 11.82; P = 0.037), This association seems to be sex-influenced, since there w as no significant association when only males were considered (chi(2) = 9.45; P = 0.09), but there was a more significant association if we only considered female subjects (chi(2) = 8.73; P = 0.033), Individual s with the longest allele (D7) were the most frequent in affected fema les (chi(2) = 4.50; P = 0.033). This work provides a new evidence of t he implication of the dopaminergic reward pathways, now through the in volvement of DRD4, in the aetiology of this impulsive disorder.