Association of a common D3 dopamine receptor gene variant is associated with sensation seeking in skiers and snowboarders

Abstract The ‘sensation seeking’ trait has been associated with risky behaviors including high-risk sport participation. Genes involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission have been investigated in studies of approach traits; however, not in sporting contexts. We used joint-analysis to investigate the relationship between monoamine-neurotransmitter gene variants and impulsive and sport-specific sensation seeking in skiers ( n  = 599). An initial screen identified a few variants that were associated with sensation seeking, one of which, a G/A transition (rs167771) in the D3-receptor gene ( DRD3 ), remained significant in the combined sample and after correction for multiple testing ( p  = .004, η p 2 = . 02 ). DRD3 variants have been associated with approach traits; however, our results are the first to suggest a role for rs167771 in sensation seeking.