title: The influence of COMT Val¹⁵⁸Met genotype on the character dimension cooperativeness in healthy females.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the Val(158)Met catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has been linked with the temperament dimension Novelty Seeking (NS), new insights in this polymorphism might point to a major role for character features as well. Given that individual life experiences may influence Val(158) and Met(158) allele carriers differently it has been suggested that the character trait cooperativeness could be implicated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A homogeneous group of eighty right-handed Caucasian healthy female university students were assessed with the TCI and genotyped for the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism (rs4680). Gene determination showed that eighteen were Val(158) homozygotes, forty-four Val/Met(158) heterozygotes, and eighteen were Met(158) homozygotes. All were within the same age range and never documented to have suffered from any neuropsychiatric illness. Bonferroni corrected non-parametric analyses showed that only for the character scale cooperativeness Val(158) homozygotes displayed significant higher scores when compared to Met(158) homozygotes. No significant differences on cooperativeness scores were found between Val(158) and Val/Met(158) carriers or between Met(158) and Val/Met(158) carriers. No differences were observed for the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism and the other temperament and character scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the assumption that the Val(158)Met single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) influences character traits and not only temperament. Our results add to the notion that Val(158) homozygotes are considered to be helpful and empathic and it suggest that these cooperativeness character traits are related to the dopaminergic system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium ; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital (UZBrussel) Brussels, Belgium ; Ghent Experimental Psychiatry (GHEP) Lab Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baeken
authors.affiliation: University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Raedt
mesh_terms: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D002605:Character; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality / Q000235:genetics*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D013694:Temperament; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase
keywords: Catechol-O-methyltransferase; cooperativeness; personality