title: Effect of COMT genotype on aggressive behaviour in a community cohort of schizophrenic patients.
abstract: Although the etiology of aggression is multifactorial, many studies have associated the Val158Met polymorphism of the COMT with aggression in schizophrenia. This study tests the hypothesis that Met/Met patients display more episodes of aggression and violent behaviour than Val/Val patients in a 6 year follow-up cohort of subjects with schizophrenia in contact with the South-Verona Community-based Mental Health Service. Out of the 141 subjects with an ICD-10 SCAN-confirmed diagnosis of schizophrenia, 115 completed both baseline and follow-up assessments (81.6% of the baseline cohort). Of these, 80 subjects (70%) were genotyped and rated for aggression using the Overt Aggression Scale. Met/Met homozygous patients had higher aggressive behaviour compared to Val/Val homozygous subjects. Antipsychotic dosage, alcohol and drug abuse were taken into account as confounders. The Met/Met genotype of COMT may have an effect on aggressive behaviour in schizophrenia because norepinephrine is less effectively inactivated.
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Italy. sarah.tosato@univr.it
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tosato
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonetto
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Forti
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.forename: Doriana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cristofalo
authors.forename: Mariaelena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bertani
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanoni
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marrella
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lazzarotto
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lasalvia
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Gironcoli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tansella
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dazzan
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase