Association between Dopamine D4 Receptor Gene Polymorphism and Scores on a Continuous Performance Test in Korean Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
- Author:
Bora KIM
1
;
Min Seong KOO
;
Jin Yong JUN
;
Il Ho PARK
;
Dong Yul OH
;
Keun Ah CHEON
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, Kwandong University College of Medicine, Goyang, Korea. kacheon@kd.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;
Continuous performance test;
Dopamine D4 receptor;
4 repeats allele;
Commission errors
- MeSH:
Alleles;
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity;
Child;
Dopamine;
Exons;
Humans;
Minisatellite Repeats;
Reaction Time;
Receptors, Dopamine D4;
Tandem Repeat Sequences
- From:Psychiatry Investigation
2009;6(3):216-221
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between a variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism at the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) and the performance of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a continuous performance test (CPT). METHODS: This study included 72 ADHD children (mean age=9.39+/-2.05 years) who were recruited from one child psychiatric clinic. The omission errors, commission errors, reaction time and reaction standardization in the CPT were computed. The number of 48-base pairs tandem repeats in the exon III of DRD4 was analyzed in a blind manner. RESULTS: The homozygosity of the 4-repeat allele at DRD4 was significantly associated with fewer commission errors (t=2.364, df=28.685, p=0.025) and standard deviation of reaction time (t=2.351, df=24.648, p=0.027) even after adjusting for age. The results of analyses of CPT measured values among three groups showed that the group with higher frequency of the 4-repeat allele showed a lower mean score of commission errors (F=4.268, df=2, p=0.018). CONCLUSION: These results suggest a protective role of 4-repeat allele of the DRD4 polymorphisms on commission errors in the CPT in children with ADHD.
