Wiebke Arfmann, Johannes Achenbach, Fiona Meyer-Bockenkamp, Phileas J Proskynitopoulos, Adrian Groh, Marc A N Muschler, Alexander Glahn, Lars Hagemeier, Vanessa Preuss, Michael Klintschar, Helge Frieling, Mathias Rhein
AIMS: The dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is substantially involved in several forms of addiction. In addition to genetic polymorphisms, epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as an important means of regulation. Previously, DRD2 hypo- and hyper-methylation have been observed in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Blood samples are commonly used as a surrogate marker of epigenetic alterations in epigenetic research, but few specific comparisons between blood and brain tissue samples in AUD exist. METHODS: We used post-mortem brain tissue samples of 17 deceased patients with AUD and 31 deceased controls to investigate the relationship between blood and brain methylation of the DRD2 promoter...
February 6, 2023: Alcohol and Alcoholism