ArticleAlcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)
A GABRA2 variant is associated with increased stimulation and 'high' following alcohol administration.
Article in Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire). The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- Relationships between generalized impulsivity and subjective stimulant and sedative responses following alcohol administration.Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors · 2019Trial
- GRIK1 and GABRA2 Variants Have Distinct Effects on the Dose-Related Subjective Response to Intravenous Alcohol in Healthy Social Drinkers.Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research · 2017Trial
- Dutasteride reduces alcohol's sedative effects in men in a human laboratory setting and reduces drinking in the natural environment.Psychopharmacology · 2014Trial
- Increased alcohol drinking and seizure susceptibility in female humanized ApoE4 knockin rats.Physiology & behavior · 2026Article
- Benzodiazepines at the crossroads: navigating therapeutic promise and perils of misuse.Annals of general psychiatry · 2026Review
- Association Between GABRG2 and Self-Rating of the Effects of Alcohol in a French Young Adult Sample.Risk management and healthcare policy · 2025Article
- Genomic factors associated with substance use disorder relapse: A critical review.Addictive behaviors reports · 2024Review
- Genetic influences on alcohol sensitivity: A critical review.Current addiction reports · 2024Article
- FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ESCALATION OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2022Review
- GABAIUPHAR/BPS guide to pharmacology CITE · 2021Article
- Identification of a Functional Non-coding Variant in the GABAFrontiers in genetics · 2019Article
- GABAPsychopharmacology · 2018Review
- A Critical Review of Methods and Results in the Search for Genetic Contributors to Alcohol Sensitivity.Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research · 2018Review
- GABRA2, alcohol, and illicit drug use: An event-level model of genetic risk for polysubstance use.Journal of abnormal psychology · 2018Article
- Beyond risk: Prospective effects of GABA Receptor Subunit Alpha-2 (GABRA2) × Positive Peer Involvement on adolescent behavior.Development and psychopathology · 2017Article
- Fine Mapping of a Dravet Syndrome Modifier Locus on Mouse Chromosome 5 and Candidate Gene Analysis by RNA-Seq.PLoS genetics · 2016Article
- Alcohol-Induced Stimulation Mediates the Effect of a GABRA2 SNP on Alcohol Self-Administrated among Alcohol-Dependent Individuals.Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire) · 2016Article
- Adaptation of Subjective Responses to Alcohol is Affected by an Interaction of GABRA2 Genotype and Recent Drinking.Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research · 2015Article
- The pharmacogenetics of alcohol use disorder.Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research · 2015Review
- Motivational Effects of Methylphenidate are Associated with GABRA2 Variants Conferring Addiction Risk.Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
aimsVariation in genes encoding GABAA receptor subunits has been implicated in the risk of alcohol dependence (AD). We sought to replicate and extend previous findings of a moderating effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GABRA2 (which encodes the GABAA α-2 subunit) on the subjective effects of alcohol by examining SNPs in this and the adjacent GABRG1 gene on chromosome 4.
methodsFifty-two European-Americans (22 males, 28 light drinkers and 24 heavy drinkers) completed 3 laboratory sessions, during which they drank low-dose, high-dose, or placebo alcohol prior to undergoing periodic assessments of stimulation, sedation and drug enjoyment. We genotyped subjects for three SNPs previously associated with AD: rs279858 in GABRA2, and rs7654165 and rs6447493 in GABRG1.
resultsTwo SNPs were associated with altered stimulatory effects of alcohol as measured on the Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale, (rs279858: P = 0.0046; rs6447493: P = 0.0023); both effects were in the opposite direction of previous findings. Carriers of the rs279858 C allele experienced greater stimulation from alcohol. Further inspection of the rs6447493 interaction did not support a pharmacogenetic effect. The effects of rs279858 (but not the other two SNPs) on items from a secondary outcome measure, the Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ), were significant. Higher ratings by individuals with the C allele were observed on the DEQ items 'feel the alcohol effect' (P < 0.001), 'like the alcohol effect' (P < 0.001) and feel 'high' (P < 0.001).
conclusionWe did not find that the GABRG1 SNPs rs7654165 and rs6447493 moderated the effects of alcohol. Greater stimulatory and euphoric effects of alcohol in carriers of the rs279858 C allele may, in part, explain the previously reported association of this allele with AD.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.