Abstract
BackgroundThe interaction of the association of dopamine genes, impulsivity and childhood trauma with substance abuse remains unclear.ObjectivesTo clarify the impacts and the interactions of the Catechol -O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, impulsivity and childhood trauma on the age of onset of heroin use among heroin dependent patients in China.Methods202 male and 248 female inpatients who meet DSM-IV criteria of heroin dependence were enrolled. Impulsivity and childhood trauma were measured using BIS-11 (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11) and ETISR-SF (Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form). The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs737866 on the COMT gene-which has previously been associated with heroin abuse, was genotyped using a DNA sequence detection system. Structural equations model was used to assess the interaction paths between these factors and the age of onset of heroin use.Principal FindingsChi-square test indicated the individuals with TT allele have earlier age of onset of heroin use than those with CT or CC allele. In the correlation analysis, the severity of childhood trauma was positively correlated to impulsive score, but both of them were negatively related to the age of onset of heroin use. In structure equation model, both the COMT gene and childhood trauma had impacts on the age of onset of heroin use directly or via impulsive personality.ConclusionsOur findings indicated that the COMT gene, impulsive personality traits and childhood trauma experience were interacted to impact the age of onset of heroin use, which play a critical role in the development of heroin dependence. The impact of environmental factor was greater than the COMT gene in the development of heroin dependence.
Highlights
Substance abuse is a complex disease, which is the result of an interaction among various factors, such as genetic and environmental risk factors, and the personality of the individuals [1,2]
Our findings indicated that the Catechol -O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, impulsive personality traits and childhood trauma experience were interacted to impact the age of onset of heroin use, which play a critical role in the development of heroin dependence
The impact of environmental factor was greater than the COMT gene in the development of heroin dependence
Summary
Substance abuse is a complex disease, which is the result of an interaction among various factors, such as genetic and environmental risk factors, and the personality of the individuals [1,2]. Several studies have shown that genetic factors account for 30– 60% of the risk for substance dependence [2], with most evidence involving the dopamine pathway, GABA and glutamatergic systems [3,4]. Our previous work indicated that the COMT gene SNP rs737866 was associated with heroin dependence. How the COMT SNP rs737866 interacted with other factors such as personality traits and childhood trauma in the development of opiate dependence is unclear. Some studies in the literature indicate that childhood trauma is a significant risk factor for substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders [6,7]. The mechanism of how childhood trauma leads to the development of substance abuse is unclear. The interaction of the association of dopamine genes, impulsivity and childhood trauma with substance abuse remains unclear
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