Multiple Alleles Affect Ondansetron's Impact on Drinking Alcohol

These researchers examine the effect of two genotypes on treatment for alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence is associated with a G/T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in a region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT); T/T homozygotes show greater drinking severity. Another variant, found in the 5-HTT promoter region (5-HTTLPR), is linked to psychiatric disorders; carriers of the short (s) allele are more vulnerable than those homozygous for the long allele (l) to event-induced anxiety and depression.

In the 12-week, double-blind study, 283 actively drinking, alcohol-dependent men without other Axis I diagnoses except for nicotine dependence were grouped by 5-HTTLPR genotype and randomized to the 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist ondansetron…