Sabol S Z, Nelson M L, Fisher C, Gunzerath L, Brody C L, Hu S, Sirota L A, Marcus S E, Greenberg B D, Lucas F R, Benjamin J, Murphy D L, Hamer D H
Laboratory of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Health Psychol. 1999 Jan;18(1):7-13. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.18.1.7.
Dopaminergic genes are likely candidates for heritable influences on cigarette smoking. In an accompanying article, Lerman et al. (1999) report associations between allele 9 of a dopamine transporter gene polymorphism (SLC6A3-9) and lack of smoking, late initiation of smoking, and length of quitting attempts. The present investigation extended their study by examining both smoking behavior and personality traits in a diverse population of nonsmokers, current smokers, and former smokers (N = 1,107). A significant association between SLC6A3-9 and smoking status was confirmed and was due to an effect on cessation rather than initiation. The SLC6A3-9 polymorphism was also associated with low scores for novelty seeking, which was the most significant personality correlate of smoking cessation. It is hypothesized that individuals carrying the SLC6A3-9 polymorphism have altered dopamine transmission, which reduces their need for novelty and reward by external stimuli, including cigarettes.
