Effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor–catecholamine-O-methyltransferase gene interaction on schizophrenic symptoms

The methionine variant of Val66Met brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNFmet) and catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMTL) is associated with a deficit in attention and aggravation of delusions in schizophrenia. We hypothesized that the BDNF–COMT gene interaction would affect the symptoms and cognition in schizophrenia. Ninety-six schizophrenic patients and 79 control participants were recruited. The patients who were BDNFmet/met×COMTL carriers had the highest scores of delusion of Positive Symptoms and the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms, word reading of the color word test, and trail-making test B time, compared with the other three genotype interactions. The current results suggest that patients with the BDNFmet/met×COMTL allele had more delusional symptoms and poorer cognitive flexibility, compared with the other three genotype interactions.

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