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01-02-2010 | Biological Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Original Article

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder phenotype is influenced by a functional catechol-O-methyltransferase variant

Authors: Haukur Pálmason, Dirk Moser, Jessica Sigmund, Christian Vogler, Susann Hänig, Anna Schneider, Christiane Seitz, Alexander Marcus, Jobst Meyer, Christine M. Freitag

Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission | Issue 2/2010

Abstract

The catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT) plays a crucial role in the metabolism of catecholamines in the frontal cortex. A single nucleotide polymorphism (Val¹⁵⁸Met SNP, rs4680) leads to either methionine (Met) or valine (Val) at codon 158, resulting in a three- to fourfold reduction in COMT activity. The aim of the present study was to assess the COMT Val¹⁵⁸Met SNP as a risk factor for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADHD symptom severity and co-morbid conduct disorder (CD) in 166 children with ADHD. The main finding of the present study is that the Met allele of the COMT Val¹⁵⁸Met SNP was associated with ADHD and increased ADHD symptom severity. No association with co-morbid CD was observed. In addition, ADHD symptom severity and early adverse familial environment were positive predictors of lifetime CD. These findings support previous results implicating COMT in ADHD symptom severity and early adverse familial environment as risk factors for co-morbid CD, emphasizing the need for early intervention to prevent aggressive and maladaptive behavior progressing into CD, reducing the overall severity of the disease burden in children with ADHD.

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Title: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder phenotype is influenced by a functional catechol-O-methyltransferase variant
Authors: Haukur Pálmason
Dirk Moser
Jessica Sigmund
Christian Vogler
Susann Hänig
Anna Schneider
Christiane Seitz
Alexander Marcus
Jobst Meyer
Christine M. Freitag
Publication date: 01-02-2010
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission / Issue 2/2010
Print ISSN: 0300-9564
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1463
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-009-0338-2

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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder phenotype is influenced by a functional catechol-O-methyltransferase variant

Abstract

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Abstract

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