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mRNA expression of dopamine receptors in peripheral blood lymphocytes of computer game addicts

  • Translational Neurosciences - Original Article
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Abstract

Excessive playing of computer games like some other behaviors could lead to addiction. Addictive behaviors may induce their reinforcing effects through stimulation of the brain dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway. The status of dopamine receptors in the brain may be parallel to their homologous receptors in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). Here, we have investigated the mRNA expression of dopamine D3, D4 and D5 receptors in PBLs of computer game addicts (n = 20) in comparison to normal subjects (n = 20), using a real-time PCR method. The results showed that the expression level of D3 and D4 dopamine receptors in computer game addicts were not statistically different from the control group. However, the expression of the mRNA of D5 dopamine receptor was significantly down-regulated in PBLs of computer game addicts and reached 0.42 the amount of the control group. It is concluded that unlike with drug addiction, the expression levels of the D3 and D4 dopamine receptors in computer game addicts are not altered compared to the control group. However, reduced level of the D5 dopamine receptor in computer game addicts may serve as a peripheral marker in studies where the confounding effects of abused drugs are unwanted.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the grant support of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (91-03-49-19464).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. BOX 1417755469, Tehran, Iran

    Nasim Vousooghi & Mitra-Sadat Sadat-Shirazi

  2. Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Nasim Vousooghi, Seyed Zeinolabedin Zarei, Mitra-Sadat Sadat-Shirazi & Mohammad Reza Zarrindast

  3. Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Seyed Zeinolabedin Zarei

  4. Department of Emergency, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Fatemeh Eghbali

  5. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Zarrindast

  6. Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics, School of Cognitive Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Zarrindast

  7. Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Zarrindast

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  1. Nasim Vousooghi
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  2. Seyed Zeinolabedin Zarei
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Vousooghi, N., Zarei, S.Z., Sadat-Shirazi, MS. et al. mRNA expression of dopamine receptors in peripheral blood lymphocytes of computer game addicts. J Neural Transm 122, 1391–1398 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-015-1408-2

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