Association between the catechol O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and alexithymia.
It has been suggested that the characteristics of alexithymia result from deficits in frontal lobe functioning, and the prefrontal cortex is particularly dependent on the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) pathway. We investigated the relationship between COMT Val108/158Met, serotonin transporter coding sequence (5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region; 5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms, and alexithymia. The study sample comprised 109 students at the Korea University. All participants were tested using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They were genotyped for COMT Val108/158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. Genotyping was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Subjects with Val/Val genotype had significantly higher TAS-20 scores than those with Met/Met or Met/Val genotypes. However, there was no significant relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and TAS-20 scores. This indicates a possible association between the COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism and alexithymia.
Ham
Byung-Joo
BJ
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
Min-Soo
MS
Lee
Young-Mee
YM
Kim
Meyoung-Kon
MK
Choi
Myoung-Jin
MJ
Oh
Kang-Seob
KS
Jung
Han Yong
HY
Lyoo
In Kyoon
IK
Choi
Ihn-Geun
IG
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase