DRD4 Receptor Gene Exon III Polymorphism in Inpatient Suicidal Adolescents

The association of suicidality with dopamine receptor subtype 4 (DRD4) polymorphism was assessed in 69 Israeli adolescents inpatients who had recently attempted suicide. The frequency of DRD4 alleles was compared between the inpatients & 167 healthy controls. No significant association between the DRD4 polymorphism & suicidal behaviour was found. Analysis of the suicide-related measures demonstrated a significant difference in depression severity between suicidal inpatients homozygote & heterozygote for the DRD4 alleles. The relevance of this finding to increased depression severity in suicidal adolescents, if replicated, is as yet unclear. (49 refs.) JA