Abstract
Background.Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using (1). Abusive alcohol consumption directly affects a person’s physical and psychological health and social life. The World Health Organization has shown that Lithuania is a leading country in pure alcohol consumption in the world (2). The aim of this study is to find novel genome variants that are associated with the AUD in the Lithuanian cohort.Materials and methods.A case-control study included 294 individuals of Lithuanian ethnicity, who were divided into two groups based on their habits of alcohol use. Single nucleotide polymorphism array analysis was performed using Illumina HiScanSQ™ genome analyzer.Results.Our study showed that rs686141T>C variant in NALCN gene is more prevalent in the non-drinker group compared to the alcohol drinker group (relative allele frequency, respectively: 0.38 and 0.27, OR = 0.60 (CI 95% 0.37–0.98), p = 0.0408). Meanwhile, rs6354C>A, in SLC6A4 gene, variant’s genotype distribution showed statistically significant difference between the non-drinker and alcohol drinker group (distribution of genotypes in the case group: 9/72/172 (CC/CA/AA) and in the control group: 5/7/29, p = 0.0264).Conclusion.We analyzed 23 genes associated with AUD and identified two novel genome variants (rs686141T>C and rs6354C>A). The study shows that genome analysis is an important tool for AUD research. The results supplement the known information about genes associated with AUD.
Highlights
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using [1]
The aim of this study is to find novel genome variants that are associated with the AUD in the Lithuanian cohort
Our study showed that rs686141T>C variant in NALCN gene is more prevalent in the non-drinker group compared to the alcohol drinker group (relative allele frequency, respectively: 0.38 and 0.27, OR = 0.60 (CI 95% 0.37–0.98), p = 0.0408)
Summary
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using [1]. According to the World Health Organization, Lithuania is a leading country in pure alcohol consumption in the world with 18.2 litres of pure alcohol consumption per capita within a calendar year [2]. Recent studies have shown strong evidence to support the hypothesis that AUD is a complex disease with hereditary and environmental effects, and with 50–60% heritability [4]. Genes involved in vulnerability to AUD include genes that act on common metabolic pathways involved in addiction to different substances and predisposition to other psychiatric disorders. The World Health Organization has shown that Lithuania is a leading country in pure alcohol consumption in the world [2]. The aim of this study is to find novel genome variants that are associated with the AUD in the Lithuanian cohort
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
