A highly significant population genetic association was reported between alcoholism and a TaqI DNA polymorphism recognized by the dopamine D2 receptor gene probe. We tested this linkage using two D2 DNA markers in a population of well-characterized alcoholics versus population controls and in two informative pedigrees. The second DNA marker was a novel one, generated by the technique of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by nondenaturing DNA electrophoresis of single-stranded DNA to detect a conformational polymorphism (SSCP). The dopamine D2 receptor gene and alcoholism were shown to be unlinked in the general Caucasian population. There was also no association between the dopamine D2 receptor polymorphism and alcoholism in a population of impulsive alcoholic Finns. In that population, we were also able to show that there was no relationship between D2 marker status and an indicator of central dopaminergic function: CSF homovanillic acid (HVA) level.
