title: Antipsychotic medications and cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder: moderating effects of COMT Val108/158 Met genotype.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a negative association between the use of antipsychotics and cognitive functioning in bipolar patients, which may be mediated by altered dopamine signaling in selected brain areas, and moderation thereof by genetic sequence variation such as COMT Val108/158Met. The interaction between antipsychotic drug use and the COMT Val108/158Met genotype on two-year cognitive functioning in bipolar patients was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interaction between the COMT Val108/158Met and antipsychotics on a composite cognitive measure was examined in 51 bipolar patients who were assessed 12 times at two-monthly intervals over a period of two years (379 observations).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant negative effect of the interaction between antipsychotic medications and Val allele load on the composite cognitive measure in bipolar patients (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The negative effects of antipsychotics on cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder may be moderated by the COMT Val 108/158 Met genotype, with a negative effect of Val allele load. If replicated, the results may be indicative of pharmacogenetic interactions in bipolar disorder.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network (SEARCH), Maastricht University Medical Centre, P,O, Box 616 (DRT 12), Maastricht, MD, 6200, The Netherlands. b.arts@maastrichtuniversity.nl
authors: Baer
authors: B
authors: Arts
authors: Claudia J P
authors: CJ
authors: Simons
authors: Marjan
authors: M
authors: Drukker
authors: Jim
authors: J
authors: van Os
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase