title: Effects of catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism on the cognitive stability and aggression in the first-onset schizophrenic patients.
abstract: We assessed catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism in 132 first-onset schizophrenic patients and 80 healthy controls. The relationship between COMT polymorphism and cognitive function, aggression and psychiatric symptoms was tested in the schizophrenic group. COMTL carrier had higher digit span score and lower similarity score than COMTH homozygote. COMTL carrier had higher attention and delusion scores and lower inappropriate affect scores than COMTH homozygote. Attention and delusion scores of COMTL allele were higher than COMTH allele. COMTL group had higher aggression than COMTH homozygote. Our results support the theory that COMTL allele was related with increased tonic dopamine activity and cognitive 'stability', which may induce cognitive inflexibility in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital College of Medicine, South Korea.
authors.forename: Doug Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Baik Seok
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.forename: Kyung Joon
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Young Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chul
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Doo Byung
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: In Kyoon
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Lyoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008715:Methionine; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D014633:Valine