Interaction between CRHR1 gene and stressful life events predicts adolescent heavy alcohol use.

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany.

BACKGROUND: Recent animal research suggests that alterations in the corticotropin releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) may lead to heavy alcohol use following repeated stress. The aim of this study was to examine interactions between two haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering the CRHR1 gene and adverse life events on heavy drinking in adolescents. METHODS: Data were available from the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, an ongoing cohort study of the long-term outcome of early risk factors followed since birth. At age 15 years, 280 participants (135 males, 145 females) completed a self-report questionnaire measuring alcohol use and were genotyped for two SNPs (rs242938, rs1876831) of CRHR1. Assessment of negative life events over the past three years was obtained by a standardized interview with the parents. RESULTS: Adolescents homozygous for the C allele of rs1876831 drank higher maximum amounts of alcohol per occasion and had greater lifetime rates of heavy drinking in relation to negative life events than individuals carrying the T allele. No gene x environment interactions were found for regular drinking and between rs242938 and stressful life events. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide first evidence in humans that the CRHR1 gene interacts with exposure to stressful life events to predict heavy alcohol use in adolescents.

PMID: 17597588 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]