Association between Fok I vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphism and impulsivity in alcohol-dependent patients.

Małgorzata Wrzosek,Marcin Wojnar,Jacek Łukaszkiewicz,Andrzej Jakubczyk,Halina Matsumoto,Grażyna Nowicka,Michał Wrzosek,Beata Kaleta,Kirk Brower

doi:10.1007/s11033-014-3607-6

Abstract

Vitamin D appears to have an important role in the modulation of the central nervous system. Vitamin D exerts its biological effects through its interaction with the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Located on chromosome 12 (12q13.1), the VDR gene has many different polymorphisms. Some of them are known to affect the VDR function, such as FokI (rs2228570, T/C) single nucleotide polymorphism. We aimed to explore a potential relationship between FokI VDR polymorphism and impulsiveness in alcohol-dependent (AD) patients. The study population consisted of 148 patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence (DSM-IV criteria) and 212 healthy controls. DNA was extracted from whole blood samples using the standard procedure. Genotypes were analyzed using a real-time PCR method. We found that FokI VDR gene polymorphism was associated with impulsivity [Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)-11 total score; P = 0.014], and with attentional impulsivity (BIS-11 subscale; P = 0.002) in the male AD patients. Our results suggest that CC FokI genotype of the VDR gene is associated with a higher level of impulsivity in these patients. This finding supports the hypothesis that impulsiveness, which significantly contributes to development of alcohol dependence, has a genetic background.

Highlights

Vitamin D appears to have an important role in the modulation of the central nervous system
After correction for multiple comparisons, in the subgroup of male patients it was found that subjects with CC genotype of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene had higher global impulsivity evaluated by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS)-11 than patients with CT genotype
The main finding of this study is that genetic variance in the VDR gene is related to differences in impulsivity of male AD patients

Summary

Introduction

Vitamin D appears to have an important role in the modulation of the central nervous system. Our results suggest that CC FokI genotype of the VDR gene is associated with a higher level of impulsivity in these patients. This finding supports the hypothesis that impulsiveness, which significantly contributes to development of alcohol dependence, has a genetic background. Certain personality features are likely to contribute to the development of alcohol dependence These can include, for example, high levels of impulsivity or poor impulse control, which are considered both a predictor of the development of alcoholism and an extremely important risk factor for relapse to drinking in individuals attempting to maintain abstinence [1,2,3]

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