Background: Several studies have hypothesized that genes regulating the components of the serotonin system,\r\nincluding serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and serotonin 1 B receptor (5-HT1B), may be associated with alcoholism,\r\nbut their results are contradictory because of alcoholism�s heterogeneity. Therefore, we examined whether the 5-\r\nHTTLPR gene and 5-HT1B gene G861C polymorphism are susceptibility factors for a specific subtype of alcoholism,\r\nantisocial alcoholism in Han Chinese in Taiwan.\r\nMethods: We recruited 273 Han Chinese male inmates with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) [antisocial\r\nalcoholism (AS-ALC) group (n = 120) and antisocial non-alcoholism (AS-N-ALC) group (n = 153)] and 191 healthy\r\nmale controls from the community. Genotyping was done using PCR-RFLP.\r\nResults: There were no significant differences in the genotypic frequency of the 5-HT1B G861C polymorphism\r\nbetween the 3 groups. Although AS-ALC group members more frequently carried the 5-HTTLPR S/S, S/LG, and LG/LG\r\ngenotypes than controls, the difference became non-significant after controlling for the covarying effects of age.\r\nHowever, the 5-HTTLPR S/S, S/LG, and LG/LG genotypes may have interacted with the 5-HT1B G861C C/C\r\npolymorphism and increased the risk of becoming antisocial alcoholism.\r\nConclusion: Our study suggests that neither the 5-HTTLPR gene nor the 5-HT1B G861C polymorphism alone is a risk\r\nfactor for antisocial alcoholism in Taiwan�s Han Chinese population, but that the interaction between both genes\r\nmay increase susceptibility to antisocial alcoholism.
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