A MOLECULAR INVESTIGATION SUGGESTS NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER AND THE DOPAMINE D-2 RECEPTOR

Some studies suggest a relationship between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome. The pathophysiology of the latter may involve the dopamine system. We screened three important exons of the dopamine D-2 receptor (DRD2) gene for mutations in a group of OCD patients with or without ties. No structural changes were found, suggesting no relationship between DRD2 and OCD. Moreover, the frequency of the polymorphism in exon 6 was different from that found in schizophrenics.