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Effect of COMT val158met genotype on cognition and personality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

A.J. Sheldrick ,
A. Krug ,
V. Markov ,
D. Leube ,
T.M. Michel ,
K. Zerres ,
T. Eggermann  and
T. Kircher
A.J. Sheldrick*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
A. Krug
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
V. Markov
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
D. Leube
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
T.M. Michel
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
K. Zerres
Affiliation:
Institute of Human Genetics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
T. Eggermann
Affiliation:
Institute of Human Genetics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
T. Kircher
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074Aachen, Germany
*
*Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, D-52074 Aachen, Nordrhein-Westphalen, Germany. Tel.: +49 (0)241 80 3; fax: +49 (0)80 82397. E-mail address: asheldrick@ukaachen.de (A.J. Sheldrick).
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Abstract

The gene encoding catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), an enzyme which regulates prefrontal cortex dopamine, contains a common functional single nucleotide polymorphism (val158met, rs4680 G/A), which accounts for part of the interindividual variance in performance during working memory tasks and also predicts personality traits.

We examined the relationship between the val158met polymorphism and cognitive function as well as personality traits in 522 healthy individuals (mean age: 24.75 years, SD = 5.84, mean years of education: 15.59, SD = 2.65).

COMT val158met genotype was related in allele dosage fashion to performance in an executive function test, with the met/met carriers scoring highest. Subjects carrying the met/met genotype also scored higher in the disorganization domain of the SPQ-B personality inventory.

Consistent with evidence from previous studies, higher dopamine availability of the met/met genotype enhances prefrontally mediated executive function in healthy individuals.

Furthermore, we replicated findings from a recent study whereby the COMT genotype also predicts disorganized personality features.

Keywords

COMTCognitionPersonalitySchizophrenia
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 23 , Issue 6 , September 2008 , pp. 385 - 389
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2008

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