한국인 정신분열증 환자의 도파민 D2 수용체 유전자의 TaqI 다형성 분포에 관한 연구

Distribution of the TaqI Polymorphism of the Dopamine D2 Receptor in a Korean Schizophrenic Population

Objects : The finding of contrasting results regarding an association between schizophrenia, alcoholism and the TaqI polymorphism site in the dopamine D2 receptor gene prompted us to study the distribution of this polymorphism in a Korean schizophrenic patients and controls. Method ： Schizophrenic patients(n = 72) and controls(n = 66) were examined by case-control study for distribution of the TaqI polymorphism of the dopamine D2 receptor gene in a Korean population to minimize the effect of racial differencies in gene frequencies. Results ： The frequency of the A l allele in schizophrenics and controls was 0.48 and 0.29, respectively. There was a significant difference in the frequency of the A l allele between schizophrenics and controls(x2= 11.13, p < .05), but no significant difference between positive and negative schizophrenics(x2 = 0.908, p > 0.5). Conclusion : This suggests that contribution of this gene to the liability to develop schizophrenia may be possible. However, the possibility that the gene is not a genetic determinant in the etiology of schizophrenia cannot be definitely excluded because of the intrinsic limitation of the methods of analysis, the number of subjects studied, other contradictory findings by other studies and similar increase in prevalence of the Al allele in spectrum of the disorders that share common pathophysiologic genetic mechanisms. So the present results should be considered preliminary.