News Release

Susceptibility Genes For Nicotine Addiction

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Molecular Psychiatry

Susceptibility genes for nicotine dependence: a genome scan and follow-up in an independent sample suggest that regions on chromosomes 2, 4, 10, 16, 17 and 18 merit further study.

Cigarette smoking is associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and public health costs. Genetic factors have been conclusively show to influence both smoking initiation and nicotine dependence, but none of the genes involved have yet been conclusively identified. A genome scan was conducted to identify chromosomal regions linked to nicotine dependence in a collection of 130 families containing 308 nicotine dependent individuals from Christchurch, New Zealand. The best evidence for linkage was found with a marker on chromosome two which resulted in a heterogeneity LOD score of 2.63.

To identify regions that warranted further study, we compared them to an empirical baseline, and found modest evidence for linkage on chromosomes 2, 4, 10, 16, 17 and 18. These were investigated by additional genotyping of the Christchurch sample and by examination in an independent sample from Richmond, Virginia (91 families with 211 nicotine dependent individuals).

Analysis of the Richmond provided limited additional evidence for linkage, particularly in regions on chromosomes 2, 10, 16, 17 and 18. The sample sizes used here provide only limited power to detect linkage for a genetically complex trait such as nicotine dependence. Therefore, some or all of the most positive results could be due to chance. However, the evidence for limited replication in several regions across the two samples suggests that some of these regions may contain genes influencing nicotine dependence and therefore deserve further study.

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For further information on this work, please contact Dr. Richard Straub, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Director, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics and Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Virginia of Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 East Leigh St., Suite 110, Richmond, VA 23219-1534. Phone: 804-828-8083; Fax: 804-828-3223; e-mail: rstraub@hsc.vcu.edu

Molecular Psychiatry is an independent, peer-reviewed journal published by Stockton Press-Macmillan Press. Editorial decisions and publication in Molecular Psychiatry do not constitute endorsement by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institutes of Health or any branch of the government of the United States of America.

RE Straub (1,3), PF Sullivan (1,3), Y Ma(1,3), MV Myakishev (1,3), C Harris-Kerr (1,3), B Wormley (1,3), B Kadambi (1,3), H Sadek (1,3), MA Silverman (1,3), BT Webb (1,3), MC Neale (1,3), CM Bulik (1,3), PR Joyce (4), and KS Kendler (1,2,3).

Departments of Psychiatry (1) and Human Genetics (2), Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics (3), Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 and the (4) Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Editor: Julio Licinio, M.D.
phone: 301 496-6885
FAX: 301-402-1561
e-mail: licinio@nih.gov

Pre-prints of this article can be obtained from Ms. Julie Vianello
phone: 301-496-6979
FAX: 301-402-1561
e-mail: j.vianello@stockton-press.co.uk



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