Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after Treatment
(1) Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with poor medical, psychological, and psychosocial outcomes and approximately 60% of individuals with AUD relapse six months after treatment. Craving is a core aspect of AUD and associated with high risk of relapse. One promising avenue to imp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/62 |
| _version_ | 1797542199079993344 |
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| author | Claudia B. Padula Annika Hansen Rachel L. Hughes M. Windy McNerney |
| author_facet | Claudia B. Padula Annika Hansen Rachel L. Hughes M. Windy McNerney |
| author_sort | Claudia B. Padula |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with poor medical, psychological, and psychosocial outcomes and approximately 60% of individuals with AUD relapse six months after treatment. Craving is a core aspect of AUD and associated with high risk of relapse. One promising avenue to improve outcomes may be in understanding the relationship between <i>COMT</i> genotype, craving, and treatment outcomes. (2) Methods: To this end, we assessed craving, recent drinking history, and impulsivity in 70 individuals with AUD undergoing a standard course of treatment at a regional Veteran Affairs (VA) medical center. Saliva samples were collected to determine <i>COMT</i> genotype. In this prospective observational study, participants were followed for six months to determine who went on to relapse after treatment. (3) Results: Results revealed a significant interaction between craving and catechol-<i>O</i>-methyltransferse (<i>COMT</i>) genotype in predicting relapse. Post hoc exploratory analyses indicated that Met/Met homozygotes reported the highest levels of craving, and craving was associated with recent drinking history. Among Val/Val homozygotes, who had higher rates of relapse, craving was associated with impulsivity. (4) Conclusions: These associations highlight that specific profiles of psychological and biological factors may be important in understanding which individuals are at highest risk of relapse following treatment. Future studies that build on these findings are warranted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:27:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9f3fb00bbf7440c1b1f9d6c18f878864 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:27:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9f3fb00bbf7440c1b1f9d6c18f8788642023-11-21T08:56:08ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252021-01-011116210.3390/brainsci11010062Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after TreatmentClaudia B. Padula0Annika Hansen1Rachel L. Hughes2M. Windy McNerney3VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Palo Alto, CA 94304, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USAVA Palo Alto Health Care System, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Palo Alto, CA 94304, USAVA Palo Alto Health Care System, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA(1) Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with poor medical, psychological, and psychosocial outcomes and approximately 60% of individuals with AUD relapse six months after treatment. Craving is a core aspect of AUD and associated with high risk of relapse. One promising avenue to improve outcomes may be in understanding the relationship between <i>COMT</i> genotype, craving, and treatment outcomes. (2) Methods: To this end, we assessed craving, recent drinking history, and impulsivity in 70 individuals with AUD undergoing a standard course of treatment at a regional Veteran Affairs (VA) medical center. Saliva samples were collected to determine <i>COMT</i> genotype. In this prospective observational study, participants were followed for six months to determine who went on to relapse after treatment. (3) Results: Results revealed a significant interaction between craving and catechol-<i>O</i>-methyltransferse (<i>COMT</i>) genotype in predicting relapse. Post hoc exploratory analyses indicated that Met/Met homozygotes reported the highest levels of craving, and craving was associated with recent drinking history. Among Val/Val homozygotes, who had higher rates of relapse, craving was associated with impulsivity. (4) Conclusions: These associations highlight that specific profiles of psychological and biological factors may be important in understanding which individuals are at highest risk of relapse following treatment. Future studies that build on these findings are warranted.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/62alcohol use disordergenetics<i>COMT</i>cravingrelapserecent drinking history |
| spellingShingle | Claudia B. Padula Annika Hansen Rachel L. Hughes M. Windy McNerney Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after Treatment Brain Sciences alcohol use disorder genetics <i>COMT</i> craving relapse recent drinking history |
| title | Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after Treatment |
| title_full | Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after Treatment |
| title_fullStr | Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after Treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after Treatment |
| title_short | Dimensions of Craving Interact with <i>COMT</i> Genotype to Predict Relapse in Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder Six Months after Treatment |
| title_sort | dimensions of craving interact with i comt i genotype to predict relapse in individuals with alcohol use disorder six months after treatment |
| topic | alcohol use disorder genetics <i>COMT</i> craving relapse recent drinking history |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/11/1/62 |
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