NO ASSOCIATION BETWEEN NOVELTY SEEKING AND THE TYPE-4 DOPAMINE-RECEPTOR GENE (DRD4) IN 2 NEW-ZEALAND SAMPLES

Objective: In 1986 and 1987, Cloninger postulated the existence of the heritable behavioral trait of novelty seeking and its putative underp innings in the dopaminergic systems of the ventral midbrain. Two widel y reported studies found significant associations between novelty seek ing and the type 4 dopamine receptor gene (DRD4), although a more rece nt study, did not. The authors' objective teas to investigate this ass ociation in two New Zealand samples. Method: The authors studied two n onoverlapping samples: subjects in a depression treatment trial (N=86) and subjects from 14 pedigrees dense with alcoholism (N=181). DRD4 ge notyping was based on a standard protocol. Results: Novelty seeking an d DRD4 were not statistically associated. Conclusions: In these sample s, there was no suggestion that the DRD4 polymorphism contributed to i ndividual differences in the behavioral trait of novelty seeking.