title: Association of COMT (Val158Met) and BDNF (Val66Met) gene polymorphisms with anxiety, ADHD and tics in children with autism spectrum disorder.
abstract: The aim of the study is to examine rs4680 (COMT) and rs6265 (BDNF) as genetic markers of anxiety, ADHD, and tics. Parents and teachers completed a DSM-IV-referenced rating scale for a total sample of 67 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both COMT (p = 0.06) and BDNF (p = 0.07) genotypes were marginally significant for teacher ratings of social phobia (etap (2) = 0.06). Analyses also indicated associations of BDNF genotype with parent-rated ADHD (p = 0.01, etap (2) = 0.10) and teacher-rated tics (p = 0.04; etap (2) = 0.07). There was also evidence of a possible interaction (p = 0.02, etap (2) = 0.09) of BDNF genotype with DAT1 3' VNTR with tic severity. BDNF and COMT may be biomarkers for phenotypic variation in ASD, but these preliminary findings remain tentative pending replication with larger, independent samples.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, State University of New York, Putnam Hall, South Campus, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8790, USA. kenneth.gadow@stonybrook.edu
authors: Kenneth D
authors: KD
authors: Gadow
authors: Jasmin
authors: J
authors: Roohi
authors: Carla J
authors: CJ
authors: DeVincent
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Kirsch
authors: Eli
authors: E
authors: Hatchwell
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000235:genetics*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000235:genetics*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D020323:Tics / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D005819:Genetic Markers; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase