Allelic association of the human dopamine (D.sub.2) receptor gene in compulsive disorders such as alcoholism
AssigneesBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System, The Regents of the University of California
InventorsKenneth Blum, E. P. Noble, P. J. Sheridan
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Abstract
In an important embodiment, the present invention concerns a method for diagnosing compulsive disease predisposition of an individual. The method comprises initially obtaining a DNA sample of said individual and then determining the presence or absence of a particular human D.sub.2 receptor gene allele in said sample. Detection of said allele in the sample is indicative of predilection to compulsive disease. A most preferred embodiment is to detect predisposition to alcoholism, particularly because said allele has been found to be present in a majority of clinically diagnosed alcoholics. The human D.sub.2 receptor gene A1 allele is most preferably detected in said sample.
Claims6
A method of detecting a genetic potential susceptibility to alcoholism in a human subject, comprising:
- obtaining DNA from a subject;
- and
- detecting, in said DNA, a human dopamine D.sub.2 receptor gene A1 allele, wherein said A1 allele indicates a potential susceptibility to alcoholism.
A method of detecting a genetic potential susceptibility to alcoholism in a human subject, comprising:
- obtaining DNA from said subject;
- subjecting said DNA of said subject to digestion by TaqI restriction enzyme;
- separating resultant DNA fragments;
- hybridizing said separated DNA fragments to a labeled recombinant phage .lambda.-hD.sub.2 G1 or a fragment thereof specifically binding the 6.6 kb A1 allele of the human dopamine D.sub.2 receptor;
- determining the presence of said A1 allele of the human dopamine D.sub.2 receptor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.