Association study of the PDE4D gene and obsessive-compulsive disorder in a Chinese Han population

Multiple evidence suggests an involvement of the PDE4D in mental disorders. Therefore we investigate the association between obsessive-compulsive disorder and a polymorphism of the single nucleotide polymorphisms of PDE4D gene in the Chinese Han population.

We genotyped and performed a case-control association analysis of the PDE4D polymorphism rs1838733 in 400 obsessive-compulsive disorder patients and 459 healthy control subjects.

The site conformed to Hardy-Weinberg (P > 0.05), three genotypes (AA, AG, GG) of PDE4D gene rs1838733 were detected. We demonstrated three principal results. First, there were no significant differences between the case and health controls in the genotype and allele at rs1838733 (P > 0.05). Second, there were no significant differences in the allele and genotype frequency between different genders obsessive-compulsive disorder (P > 0.05). Third, the genotype of single nucleotide polymorphism rs1838733 was associated with late-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder and female late-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (P < 0.05).

The present study is the first to verify the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms rs1838733 of the PDE4D gene with obsessive-compulsive disorder in a Chinese Han population. We found the genotype of single nucleotide polymorphism rs1838733 was associated with the occurrence of late-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder and female late-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder. Therefore, PDE4D may play a role in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder and may become a potential target for obsessive-compulsive disorder treatment in future research. Further studies should verify the current findings.