A candidate gene study looking for genetic variants of risk for nicotine dependence identified a marker in KCNJ6 gene as one of their top signals (Saccone et al. 2007). Recently, another study examined a few SNPs in the promoter region of KCNJ6 and found some association with these SNPs for alcohol dependence in adults and for hazardous drinking behavior in adolescents who were exposed to early life stress (Clarke et al. 2011). Another recent study has suggested epistatic interaction of KCNJ6 with CREB1 (cyclic adenosine 5′-phosphate (adenosine monophosphate)-response element binding protein) may influence rumination, which is a core cognitive feature of depression (Lazary et al. 2011).
