title: CLOCK gene T3111C polymorphism is associated with Japanese schizophrenics: a preliminary study.
abstract: The CLOCK gene has attracted attention due to its influence on the circadian rhythm, as well as its impacts on the dopaminergic system. We conducted a preliminary study to examine whether the T3111C single nucleotide polymorphism of the CLOCK gene is associated with the development of schizophrenia by examining samples from schizophrenics (n=145) and normal controls (n=128). Both genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different between schizophrenics and controls (p=0.022, p=0.015, respectively). Schizophrenics had a significantly higher frequency of the C allele compared to controls (odds ratio 1.76, 95% CI 1.12-2.75). In particular, disorganized and residual type schizophrenics had significantly higher C allele frequencies than controls (p=0.004 and p=0.037, respectively). Our results suggest that the T3111C polymorphism of the CLOCK gene is associated with schizophrenia. It is important to explore the association between CLOCK and dopamine function, and to examine the impact of CLOCK on phenotypes such as symptoms and drug response in patients with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical Sciences for Control of Pathological Processes, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. takachiha111@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachikawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawanishi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizukami
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015534:Trans-Activators; D056926:CLOCK Proteins; C538943:CLOCK protein, human