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Published Online: 1 September 2012

Cognitive Dysfunction and Anxious-Impulsive Personality Traits Are Endophenotypes for Drug Dependence

Abstract

Objective

Not everyone who takes drugs becomes addicted, but the likelihood of developing drug addiction is greater in people with a family history of drug or alcohol dependence. Relatively little is known about how genetic risk mediates the development of drug dependence. By comparing the phenotypic profile of individuals with and without a family history of addiction, the authors sought to clarify the extent to which cognitive dysfunction and personality traits are shared by family members—and therefore likely to have predated drug dependence—and which aspects are specific to drug-dependent individuals.

Method

The authors assessed cognitive function and personality traits associated with drug dependence in stimulant-dependent individuals (N=50), their biological siblings without a history of drug dependence (N=50), and unrelated healthy volunteers (N=50).

Results

Cognitive function was significantly impaired in the stimulant-dependent individuals across a range of domains. Deficits in executive function and response control were identified in both the stimulant-dependent individuals and in their non-drug-dependent siblings. Drug-dependent individuals and their siblings also exhibited elevated anxious-impulsive personality traits relative to healthy comparison volunteers.

Conclusions

Deficits in executive function and response regulation as well as anxious-impulsive personality traits may represent endophenotypes associated with the risk of developing cocaine or amphetamine dependence. The identification of addiction endophenotypes may be useful in facilitating the rational development of therapeutic and preventive strategies.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to American Journal of Psychiatry
Go to American Journal of Psychiatry
American Journal of Psychiatry
Pages: 926 - 936
PubMed: 22952072

History

Received: 23 September 2011
Revision received: 12 December 2011
Revision received: 13 March 2012
Accepted: 13 April 2012
Published online: 1 September 2012
Published in print: September 2012

Authors

Details

Karen D. Ersche, Ph.D.
From the Department of Psychiatry, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, and the Department of Experimental Psychology at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K.; the Glaxo-SmithKline Clinical Unit Cambridge, Cambridge; and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge.
Abigail J. Turton, B.Sc.
From the Department of Psychiatry, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, and the Department of Experimental Psychology at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K.; the Glaxo-SmithKline Clinical Unit Cambridge, Cambridge; and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge.
Samuel R. Chamberlain, Ph.D.
From the Department of Psychiatry, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, and the Department of Experimental Psychology at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K.; the Glaxo-SmithKline Clinical Unit Cambridge, Cambridge; and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge.
Ulrich Müller, M.D., Ph.D.
From the Department of Psychiatry, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, and the Department of Experimental Psychology at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K.; the Glaxo-SmithKline Clinical Unit Cambridge, Cambridge; and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge.
Edward T. Bullmore, Ph.D.
From the Department of Psychiatry, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, and the Department of Experimental Psychology at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K.; the Glaxo-SmithKline Clinical Unit Cambridge, Cambridge; and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge.
Trevor W. Robbins, Ph.D.
From the Department of Psychiatry, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, and the Department of Experimental Psychology at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K.; the Glaxo-SmithKline Clinical Unit Cambridge, Cambridge; and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge.

Notes

Address correspondence to Dr. Ersche ([email protected]).

Funding Information

Supported by a Medical Research Council grant to Drs. Ersche, Bullmore, and Robbins and conducted at the Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute at University of Cambridge, U.K., which is supported by a joint award from the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust.

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