Combined Influences of Genetic Factors and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on the Development of Dependence on Synthetic Cannabinoids

Objectives. To create a complex model of the individual risk of developing dependence on synthetic cannabinoids taking account of the combined influences of genetic predisposition and attention deficit hypera-ctivity disorder (ADHD). Materials and methods. A total of 146 male adolescents consuming synthetic cannabinoids and 136 healthy subjects (controls) were observed. Genetic studies assessed cases with the combination of these dependencies with ADHD. DNA was collected and six polymorphic loci of genes of the dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems were determined; results were analyzed using a series of special statistical methods. Results and conclusions. These data demonstrate the important role of the dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems in the pathogenesis of dependence on psychoactive substances and the significance of changes in the nucleotide sequences of the DRD2 , SLC6A3 , and HTR2A genes in the development of dependence on synthetic cannabinoids in males with ADHD.