Abstract: Disclosed are dopamine agonist and opioidergic compositions and methods for their use in the treatment of alcoholism. The invention discloses compounds and therapeutic kits useful in the treatment of alcoholics having the A1 allele of the dopamine receptor D2 gene. Also disclosed are methods of treating alcoholics having the A1/A1 or A1/A2 DRD2 genotype comprising administration of dopamine agonists such as aporphines, ergolines, related compounds, and their analogs, in combination with opioidergic compounds such as naloxone.

Abstract: In an important embodiment, the present invention concerns a method for diagnosing and detecting compulsive disorder susceptibility of an individual. The method comprises initially obtaining a DNA sample of said individual and then determining the presence or absence of particular human D.sub.2 receptor gene alleles in said sample. Detection of said alleles in the sample are indicative of predilection to compulsive disorder. A most preferred embodiment is to detect predisposition to impulsive, addictive, and compulsive disorders such as, but not limited to, alcoholism, obesity, smoking, polysubstance abuse and drug addiction, particularly because said alleles have been found to be present in a majority of individuals clinically diagnosed with these compulsive disorders. The human D.sub.2 receptor gene A1, B1, and .sup.In6-Ex7 haplotype I alleles are most preferably detected in said sample.