Monoamine oxidase a promoter variable number of tandem repeats (MAOA-uVNTR) in alcoholics according to Lesch Typology

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the association between the MAOA-uVNTR gene polymorphism in a homogeneous subgroups of patients with alcohol dependence categorized according to Lesch’s typology.

Methods: DNA was provided from alcohol dependent (AD) patients (n = 370) and healthy control subjects (n = 168) all of Polish descent. The history of alcoholism was obtained using the Polish version of the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA). Samples were genotyped using PCR methods.

Results: We found no association between alcohol dependence and MAOA gene polymorphism.

Conclusions: Lesch typology is a clinical consequence of the disease and its phenotypic description is too complex for a simple genetic analysis.