No evidence of association between dopamine D3 receptor gene and bipolar affective disorder.

A recent study reported a possible association between allele 1 of the dopamine D3 receptor gene and bipolar affective disorder using the haplotype relative risk approach. In attempt to replicate these findings, we used similar family-based methods, such as the Haplotype-Based Haplotype Relative Risk method and the Transmission Disequilibrium Test, in a sample of 44 bipolar probands from Sardinia with both parents available. Using the Bal I restriction enzyme site polymorphism of Lannfelt et al. (1992), no differences were found between transmitted and non-transmitted alleles and no evidence of linkage disequilibrium was observed.