Dopamine Receptor D4 (DRD4)

The  is the D4 subtype of the dopamine receptor. The D4 subtype is a G-protein coupled receptor which inhibits adenylyl cyclase. It is a target for drugs which treat schizophrenia and Parkinson disease. Mutations in this gene have been associated with various behavioral phenotypes, including autonomic nervous system dysfunction, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and the personality trait of novelty seeking. This gene contains a polymorphic number (2-10 copies) of tandem 48 nt repeats; the sequence shown contains four repeats.

The 'DRD4 long' variant, or more specifically the 7 repeat (7R), has been loosely linked to a susceptibility for developing ADHD and other psychological traits and disorders, like autism.