The Relationship between the SNAP-25 Polymorphism and Omission Errors in Korean Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between the synaptosomal-associated protein 25 kDa (SNAP-25) genotype and performance on the continuous performance test (CPT) in Korean children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Eighty-seven children with ADHD (mean age, 9.23±1.99 years) participated in this study. Omission errors, commission errors, reaction time, and reaction time variability on the CPT were analyzed. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs3746544 (1065 T>G) of SNAP-25 was genotyped to examine the association with CPT performance. RESULTS: We found significantly more omission errors on the CPT among children with the TT genotype of SNAP-25 (t=2.56, p=0.012) after correcting for multiple testing. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the possible involvement of the SNAP-25 1065 T>G polymorphism in the inattention phenotype in children with ADHD. Further studies with more refined neuropsychological measures and much larger sample sizes are needed to confirm our findings.

Emotional Dysregulation, Attributional Bias, Neurocognitive Impairment in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis and with Schizophrenia : Its Association with Paranoia / 대한정신분열병학회지

OBJECTIVES: Paranoia is a complex phenomenon, affected by a number of factors such as depression, trait anxiety, and attributional bias in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to explore whether paranoia within continuum of clinical and subclinical states is associated with emotional dysregulation, attributional bias and neurocognitive impairment in whole individuals of normal controls, ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis and schizophrenia. METHODS: 101 normal controls, 50 participants at UHR for psychosis, and 49 schizophrenia patients were recruited. All subjects were asked to complete self-reported paranoia scale and emotional dysregulation scales including Rosenberg's self-esteem, Spielberg's state-trait anxiety inventory and Beck depression inventory. The attributional style was assessed by Ambiguous Intentions Hostility Questionnaire (AIHQ). Participants were also requested to complete the comprehensive neurocognitive battery. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analysis showed that paranoia were found to be associated with emotional dysregulation (state anxiety, trait anxiety and depression), composite blaming bias in ambiguous situation, impairment of attention and working memory in whole participants [F (9, 190)=34.85, p<0.001, adjusted R2=0.61]. CONCLUSION: The main findings suggest that paranoia is a complex affective and cognitive structure that may be associated with emotional dysregulation, blaming bias and attention and working memory impairment in clinical and non-clinical paranoia.

Perseverative Pattern of Decision-Making in Alcohol Dependent Patients / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between substance dependence and poor decision making has received much attention in recent years. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that alcohol dependent subjects would demonstrate a more perseverative decision-making pattern, during ambiguous situations. METHODS: 15 alcohol dependent patients and 15 healthy normal controls performed a novel computerized decision-making task, which presented figures of coins. The subjects were instructed to guess whether the total number of coins was 'odd' or 'even'. Besides these two response, one could select a third alternative - 'pass' - in case the chances were assumed to be low. RESULTS: There was significant difference in performance between the two groups (F=4.339, p=0.008). The control group gained 15.4+/-14.4 points, whereas the alcohol dependent group lost 0.6+/-5.3 points. The normal control group demonstrated a tendency to make more pass responses as the trials were repeated. In contrast, the alcohol dependent group didn't make use of the alternative, but kept challenging between 'odd' and 'even', although they sensed that the chances were low. CONCLUSION: The alcohol dependent patients demonstrated a more rigid and perseverative response pattern and showed deficits in making use of compromise alternatives.