title: Suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia is related to COMT polymorphism.
abstract: A common functional polymorphism that results in a three- to four-fold difference in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme activity has been related to psychiatric disorders such as ultra-ultra rapid cycling bipolar disorder, drug abuse and alcoholism (Lachman et al., 1996a; Karayiorgou et al., 1997; Vandenbergh et al., 1997; Papolos et al., 1998; Tiihonen et al., 1999). Several studies have also reported associations between the allele encoding the low enzyme activity COMT variant (L allele) and other-directed aggression (Strous et al., 1997; Lachman et al., 1998; Kotler et al., 1999) in schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients. The current study investigated whether the COMT L allele is also associated with suicide attempts in schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients. COMT genotypes were determined and history of suicide attempts was retrospectively investigated in a Finnish sample (n = 94) and a US sample (n = 54). Significant associations were observed between COMT genotype and suicide; specifically, history of violent suicide attempts. The COMT L allele was more frequent in subjects who had attempted suicide by violent means. These associations were significant in males but not females. These findings support a common neurobiological substrate for self- and other-directed aggression, and suggest that catecholaminergic alterations may contribute to these behaviors in schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients.
authors.affiliation: Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA. nolan@nki.rfmh.org
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Volavka
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Czobor
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cseh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lachman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiihonen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Putkonen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hallikainen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kotilainen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Räsänen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isohanni
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Järvelin
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Karvonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000374:Aggression; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase