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Association between cannabinoid receptor gene (CNR1) and childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Spanish male alcoholic patients

Molecular Psychiatry volume 8, pages 466–467 (2003)Cite this article

SIR – The mesolimbic dopaminergic system seems to be the main system responsible for the rewarding properties of the brain in response to abuse substances.1 The endocannabinoid system is in turn known to regulate the dopaminergic system through the CB1 presynaptic receptors. This property might well account for the role of these systems in learning, memory, behavior, as well as the reinforcing properties of abuse substances.2

The CB1 receptor is encoded by the CNR1 gene (6q14–q15), which is known to carry a nine-allele microsatellite polymorphism containing repeats of a single trinucleotide, ATT, which localizes to the 3′UTR of the gene and has been related to drug dependency states in Caucasian populations.3 Moreover, a link has been found between this polymorphism and the properties of the event-related wave p300,4 some studies having suggested that p300 variations might function as a marker for an underlying, hereditary, predisposition to alcoholism.5

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Author notes

  1. G Ponce and J Hoenicka: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unidad de conductas adictivas, Servicio de Psiquiatría, Hospital 12 de octubre, Madrid, Spain

    G Ponce, G Rubio, M A Jiménez-Arriero, R Rodríguez-Jiménez & T Palomo

  2. Banco de Tejidos para investigaciones Neurologicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    J Hoenicka, I Ampuero & J A Ramos

Authors
  1. G Ponce
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  2. J Hoenicka
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  3. G Rubio
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  4. I Ampuero
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  5. M A Jiménez-Arriero
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  6. R Rodríguez-Jiménez
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  7. T Palomo
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  8. J A Ramos
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Correspondence to J Hoenicka.

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Ponce, G., Hoenicka, J., Rubio, G. et al. Association between cannabinoid receptor gene (CNR1) and childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Spanish male alcoholic patients. Mol Psychiatry 8, 466–467 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001278

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