These data suggest that the DRD4-521 C/T polymorphism contributes to a "risk-taking phenotype" in skiers and snowboarders, but the variant was not associated with impulsive sensation seeking (P = 0.9).
Recent work has identified a distinct polymorphism of the dopamine D4 receptor gene in normal people with a behavioral temperament profile characterized by features of "novelty seeking" which include impulsive and exploratory behaviors.
Studies of the 48 bp repeat polymorphism of the DRD4 gene in impulsive, compulsive, addictive behaviors: Tourette syndrome, ADHD, pathological gambling, and substance abuse.
This work provides a new evidence of the implication of the dopaminergic reward pathways, now through the involvement of DRD4, in the aetiology of this impulsive disorder.