Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Different allele distribution of a regulatory MAOA gene promoter polymorphism in antisocial and anxious-depressive alcoholics

  • Published:
Journal of Neural Transmission Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary.

Heritable factors account for approximately 40–60% of the total variance of liability to alcohol dependence. The present study tested whether a novel functional polymorphism in the promotor region of the X-chromosomal monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) was related to antisocial and anxious-depressive traits in alcoholics. Due to the X-chromosomal localization of the MAOA gene, psychobiological traits were compared separately for both genders of 298 male and 66 female alcoholics.

In males, 30 of 59 alcoholics with antisocial personality disorder carried the low-activity 3-repeat allele in contrast to only 7 of 31 anxious-depressive alcoholics (51% vs. 23%; p = 0.02). Likewise, female anxious-depressive alcoholics showed a trend towards a low frequency of genotypes with the 3 repeat allele compared to female alcoholics without these symptoms (29% vs. 53%; p = 0.09). Taken together, these findings suggest that the 3-repeat allele of the MAOA polymorphism contributes modestly to the dimension of over- and underreactive behaviors as possible antecedents of alcoholism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received June 16, 1999; accepted January 25, 2000

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schmidt, L., Sander, T., Kuhn, S. et al. Different allele distribution of a regulatory MAOA gene promoter polymorphism in antisocial and anxious-depressive alcoholics. J Neural Transm 107, 681–689 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s007020070069

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s007020070069

Navigation