Jolly Masih and Willem Verbeke
Using a sample of 2,986 subjects we studied that gene polymorphisms for the OPRM1 (rs1799971, rs17174794), OPRK1 (rs16918875, rs963549) and OPRD1 (rs569356, rs1042114) receptor genes have differential associations with the Positive (PA) and Negative (NA) dimensions of the affect schedule (PANAS) scale (categorized as positive and negative moods). The study finds that OPRM1 gene polymorphisms have both negative and positive associations with the NA and PA dimension of PANAS, respectively. The OPRK1 gene polymorphisms have positive associations with the NA but not with the PA dimension of PANAS. The OPRD1 gene polymorphisms have negative associations with the NA but not with the PA dimension of PANAS. In addition, both NA and PA dimensions of PANAS are associated with acute and chronic depression and anxiety. This genetic approach provides evidence that the three opioid receptors gene polymorphisms have divergent associations with phenotypes related to moods.