DOPAMINE D2 RECEPTOR GENE (DRD2) HAPLOTYPES AND THE DEFENSE STYLE QUESTIONNAIRE IN SUBSTANCE-ABUSE, TOURETTE SYNDROME, AND CONTROLS

The defense style questionnaire (DSQ) was administered to Caucasian ma les consisting of 123 subjects from a V.A. addiction treatment unit (A TU), 42 Tourette syndrome (TS) subjects, and 49 controls. For the ATU and TS subjects, there was a significant decrease in the mean. score f or mature defenses and a significant increase in mean score for immatu re defenses compared to controls. Many of the individual subscores sho wed the same significant differences. Dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene haplotypes, identified by allele specific polymerase chain reaction o f two mutations (G/T and C/T) 241 base pairs apart, were determined in 57 of the ATU subjects and 42 of the controls. Subjects with the 1 ha plotype tended to show a decrease in mature and an increase in neuroti c and immature defense styles compared to those without the 1 haplotyp e. Of the eight times that the subscale scores were significant for ha plotype 1 versus non-1, they were always in this direction. These resu lts suggest that the DRD2 locus is one of the factors controlling defe nse styles. The difference in the mean scores between controls and sub stance abuse subjects indicates that other genes and environmental fac tors also play a role.