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Effects of COMT genotype on cognitive ability and functional capacity in individuals with schizophrenia
Elizabeth W Twamley1, Jessica P Y Hua2, Cynthia Z Burton3
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, United States; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, United States.
Abstract:
Cognitive and functional impairments are core features of schizophrenia. This study examined the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype and its relationship to cognition and functional capacity in 188 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We found that in a dose-response fashion, individuals with more Met alleles performed significantly better on tests of learning/memory and abstraction. The effects of COMT genotype on cognition were modest, explaining about 3% of the variance in learning/memory and abstraction. Larger studies will be needed to examine the relationships between COMT and other genes and cognitive performance and everyday functioning.
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