title: A possible association between the Val158Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyl transferase gene and the personality trait of harm avoidance in Japanese healthy subjects.
abstract: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an enzyme that degrades various biogenic amines, which have been hypothesized to be associated with personality traits. We investigated a possible relationship between the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and personality traits assessed by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in 139 healthy subjects in a Japanese population. The number of Met alleles of the COMT Val/Met genotype tended to relate to harm avoidance (HA) scores parametrically, while no significant difference was observed between genotype groups in either novelty seeking, reward dependence, persistence, self-directedness, cooperativeness or self-transcendence. These results suggest that the Val/Met polymorphism of the COMT gene may play a role in HA in Japanese population.
authors.affiliation: The Osaka-Hamamatsu Joint Research Center for Child Mental Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan. hashimor@psy.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Kazutaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohi
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kunugi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008715:Methionine; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D014633:Valine