POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE DOPAMINE D-3 RECEPTOR GENE AND BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE-DISORDER

A variety of studies have reported possible genetic associations betwe en bipolar affective disorder and different loci using relative risk ( case-control) comparisons, An alternative approach is to construct a c ontrast group using parental alleles which were not transmitted to an affected individual [Falk and Rubinstein, 1987: Ann Hum Genet 51:227-2 33], We have used both approaches to test for possible associations be tween alleles of the dopamine D-3 receptor gene and bipolar affective disorder, For relative risk studies, the probands of multiple incidenc e bipolar affective disorder families have been compared to alcoholic and psychiatrically normal contrast groups, Non-transmitted allele app roaches have used bipolar affective disorder and alcoholic probands in which both parents were available for genotyping, Using the BalI rest riction enzyme site polymorphism of Lannfelt et al. [1992: Psychiatr G enet 2:249-256], we have found no differences in the allele or genotyp e frequencies for bipolar vs, alcoholic or psychiatrically normal cont rols, In contrast, we have found evidence for an increased frequency o f allele 1 and allele 1 containing genotypes in transmitted alleles fr om bipolar families. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.