Studies from Center for Addiction and Mental Health in the area of dyskinesia described
2009 JUN 1 - (NewsRx.com) -- Scientists discuss in 'Association study of tardive dyskinesia and five DRD4 polymorphisms in schizophrenia patients' new findings in dyskinesia. According to a study from Toronto, Canada, "Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a side effect of chronic antipsychotic medication exposure. Abnormalities in dopaminergic activity in the nigro-striatal system have been most often suggested to be involved because the agents that cause TD share in common potent antagonism of dopamine D(2) receptors (DRD2)." "Thus, a number of studies have focused on the association of dopamine system gene polymorphisms and TD, with the most consistent findings being an association between TD and the Ser9Gly polymorphism of the DRD3 gene and the TaqIA site 3' of the DRD2 gene. The DRD4 gene codes for the third member of the D(2)-like dopamine receptor family, and the variable number tandem-repeat polymorphism in exon 3 of DRD4 has been associated with TD. However, other polymorphisms have not been thoroughly examined. In this study, we investigated five polymorphisms spanning the DRD4 gene and their association with TD in our European Caucasian sample (N=171). Although the exon 3 variable number tandem repeat was not associated with TD, haplotypes consisting of four tag polymorphisms were associated with TD in males," wrote C.C. Zai and colleagues, Center for Addiction and Mental Health. The researchers concluded: "This study suggests that DRD4 may be involved in TD in the Caucasian population, although further replication studies are needed." Zai and colleagues published their study in The Pharmacogenomics Journal (Association study of tardive dyskinesia and five DRD4 polymorphisms in schizophrenia patients. The Pharmacogenomics Journal, 2009;9(3):168-74). For more information, contact C.C. Zai, Neurogenetics Section, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Publisher contact information for the The Pharmacogenomics Journal is: Nature Publishing Group, 345 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1707, USA. Keywords: Canada, Toronto, Addiction Medicine, Antipsychotic, Biotechnology, Dopamine Hydrochloride, Drugs, Mental Health, Neurology, Pharmaceuticals, Pharmacogenomic, Pharmacology, Psychiatry, Schizophrenia, Tardive Dyskinesia, Therapy, Treatment. This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
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