ABSTRACT
Fundamento. Los genes candidatos del sistema dopaminérgico se han descrito como elementos clave en la conformación del temperamento del ser humano. La enzima catecol-O-metiltransferasa (COMT) desempeña un papel decisivo en la inactivación de la dopamina, y recientemente, en estudios efectuados en adultos sanos, al igual que en individuos dependientes de la metaanfetamina, en el cuestionario Temperament and Character Inventory el polimorfismo de un solo nucleótido Val158Met (rs4680) del gen COMT se ha asociado a la dimensión temperamental de búsqueda de novedades (BN). Método. El objetivo del presente estudio fue examinar la asociación entre las dimensiones temperamentales del cuestionario Temperament and Character Inventory y la variación Val158Met del gen COMT en una muestra húngara de 117 pacientes dependientes de la heroína y 124 individuos de control, no dependientes. Resultados. El análisis de casos-controles no demostró diferencias significativas en las distribuciones de alelo o genotipo. Sin embargo, la estrategia dimensional reveló una asociación entre el polimorfismo Val158Met del gen COMT y la dimensión temperamental de búsqueda de novedades (p=0,01): tanto en los individuos de control como en los dependientes de opiáceos con genotipos Met/Met se demostraron puntuaciones más altas para BN comparado con aquellos con el alelo Val. Las puntuaciones obtenidas para BN también fueron significativamente más altas entre dependientes de opiáceos; sin embargo, no se detectó ninguna interacción entre el estado del grupo y el genotipo del gen COMT. Conclusión. Para pacientes dependientes de la heroína e individuos de control, con independencia de la situación del grupo, se ha demostrado la asociación del polimorfismo del gen COMT y la dimensión temperamental de búsqueda de novedades (AU)
Background. Candidate genes of the dopaminergic system have been reported as key elements in shaping human temperament. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays a vital role in dopamine inactivation, and the Val158Met single nucleotide polymorphism (rs4680) in its gene has been recently associated with the Novelty Seeking (NS) temperament scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory in studies of healthy adults, as well as methamphetamine abusers. Method. Our goal was to examine the association between temperament dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory and the COMT Val158Met variation in a Hungarian sample of 117 heroin-dependent patients and 124 nondependent controls. Results. Case-control analysis did not show any significant difference in allele or genotype distributions. However, dimensional approach revealed an association between the COMT Val158Met and NS (P=.01): both controls and opiate users with Met/Met genotypes showed higher NS scores compared to those with the Val allele. The NS scores are also significantly higher among opiate users; however, no interaction was found between group status and COMT genotype. Conclusion. Association of the COMT polymorphism and NS temperament scale has been shown for heroin-dependent patients and controls regardless of group status (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Temperament/physiology , Dopamine Agents/metabolism , Polymorphism, Genetic/physiology , Catechol O-Methyltransferase/therapeutic use , Dopamine/therapeutic use , Opioid-Related Disorders/diagnosis , Opioid-Related Disorders/physiopathology , Biological Psychiatry/methods , Biological Psychiatry/trendsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Candidate genes of the dopaminergic system have been reported as key elements in shaping human temperament. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays a vital role in dopamine inactivation, and the Val(158)Met single nucleotide polymorphism (rs4680) in its gene has been recently associated with the Novelty Seeking (NS) temperament scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory in studies of healthy adults, as well as methamphetamine abusers. METHOD: Our goal was to examine the association between temperament dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory and the COMT Val(158)Met variation in a Hungarian sample of 117 heroin-dependent patients and 124 nondependent controls. RESULTS: Case-control analysis did not show any significant difference in allele or genotype distributions. However, dimensional approach revealed an association between the COMT Val(158)Met and NS (P = .01): both controls and opiate users with Met/Met genotypes showed higher NS scores compared to those with the Val allele. The NS scores are also significantly higher among opiate users; however, no interaction was found between group status and COMT genotype. CONCLUSION: Association of the COMT polymorphism and NS temperament scale has been shown for heroin-dependent patients and controls regardless of group status.
