Epidemiological and genetic studies of alcoholism and schizophrenia have been performed, and in this study, the human serotonin receptor (HTR2) polymorphism was examined in 75 alcoholics and 31 schizophrenic patients. We found that there might not be a significant difference between these psychiatric disease patients and controls in the frequency of the C1/C2 HTR2 gene (MspI polymorphism). The results suggest that the human HTR2 MspI polymorphism might not be associated with a risk factor for developing alcohol dependence or susceptibility to schizophrenia. It is possible that there may be a racial difference in the frequency of the C1/C2 gene between Japanese and Caucasians. Further studies are required to determine whether or not the novel serotonin receptor polymorphism reflects the pathogenesis of alcoholism or schizophrenia.
Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel