ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Although genotype of endothelial nitric oxide synthase has been investigated in many neuropsychiatric disorders, results were controversial and even contradictory. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in Korean schizophrenic patients, and compare it with healthy control group in terms of distribution of e genotype and allele frequency of endothelial nitric oxide synthase. METHODS: Using polymerase chain reaction and amplified refractory mutation system, endothelial nitric oxide synthase genotypes were identified in 77 schizophrenics and 121 healthy controls. RESULTS: 1) When genotypes of endothelial nitric oxide synthase were classified as a/a, a/b, b/b, there was no statistical difference in genotypes between the two groups. 2) In terms of allele frequency, there was also no statistical difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene seem to be unrelated to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in Korean population.