Interaction Between Val158Met Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Polymorphism and Social Cognitive Functioning in Schizophrenia: Pilot Study.

The Val158Met catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) functional polymorphism may influence social cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. Aspects of social cognition were evaluated with the Facial Expression Recognition Test, the Voice Emotion Recognition Test, and the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. The Short Recognition Memory Test for Faces was used as a control measure. The Schedule for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, Schedule for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, and Beck Depression Inventory were used to rate of patient symptoms. There were 100 patients with the following genotypes: Val/Val (21), Met/Met (30), and Val/Met (49). The genotype distribution of polymorphism of Val158Met COMT did not differ between the patient and control groups. Schizophrenia carriers of the Val/Val genotype performed worse in social cognitive measures, in comparison with the other groups. No statistically significant correlations were recorded between age at schizophrenia onset and polymorphism of Val158Met COMT. There was an influence of genotype in the control group: the Met homozygotes performing better. Schizophrenia patients homozygous for the Val allele showed significant disadvantages over patients homozygous or heterozygous for the Met allele in social cognitive processes. The COMT genotype may not, however, contribute to the age of onset of schizophrenia.