Abstract

The 7 repeat (7R) allele of the dopamine receptor D4 gene has been associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and risk taking. On the cross-population scale, 7R allele frequencies have been shown to be higher in populations with more of a history of long-term migrations. It has also been shown that the 7R allele is associated with individuals having multiple ancestries. Here, we conduct a replication of this latter finding with two independent samples. Measures of subjects’ ancestry are used to examine past reproductive bonds. The individuals’ history of interracial/ancestral dating and their feelings about this are also assessed. Tentative support for an association between multiple ancestries and the 7R allele was found. These results are dependent upon the method of questioning subjects about their ancestries, with only finer-scale measures of ancestry being associated with 7R. Interracial dating and feelings about interracial pairing were not related to the presence of the 7R allele. This study provides continued support for a role for the 7R allele in migration and/or mate choice patterns. However, replications and extensions of this study are needed and the way ancestry/race is assessed must be carefully considered.

Details

Title
Assortative human pair-bonding for partner ancestry and allelic variation of the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene
Author
Eisenberg, Dan T A 1 ; Apicella, Coren L 1 ; Campbell, Benjamin C 1 ; Dreber, Anna 2 ; Garcia, Justin R 1 ; J Koji Lum 1 

 Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, 2 Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, 3 Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, 4 Department of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden 11383, 5 Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, and 6 Laboratory of Evolutionary Anthropology and Health, Departments of Anthropology and Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA 
 Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, 2 Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, 3 Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, 4 Department of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden 11383, 5 Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, and 6 Laboratory of Evolutionary Anthropology and Health, Departments of Anthropology and Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA; Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, 2 Department of Anthropology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, 3 Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201, 4 Department of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden 11383, 5 Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, and 6 Laboratory of Evolutionary Anthropology and Health, Departments of Anthropology and Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA 
Pages
194-202
Publication year
2010
Publication date
Jun/Sep 2010
Publisher
Oxford University Press
ISSN
17495016
e-ISSN
17495024
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3171551790
Copyright
© The Author(s) (2009). Published by Oxford University Press. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.