Premium
Catechol‐ O ‐methyltransferase gene val 158 met polymorphism and depressive symptoms during early childhood
Author(s) -
Sheikh Haroon I.,
Kryski Katie R.,
Smith Heather J.,
Dougherty Lea R.,
Klein Daniel N.,
Bufferd Sara J.,
Singh Shiva M.,
Hayden Elizabeth P.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
american journal of medical genetics part b: neuropsychiatric genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.393
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1552-485X
pISSN - 1552-4841
DOI - 10.1002/ajmg.b.32141
Subject(s) - catechol o methyl transferase , polymorphism (computer science) , psychopathology , anxiety , depressive symptoms , allele , psychology , clinical psychology , depression (economics) , medicine , developmental psychology , gene , psychiatry , genetics , biology , macroeconomics , economics
Abstract Catechol‐ O ‐Methyltransferase (COMT) is a critical regulator of catecholamine levels in the brain. A functional polymorphism of the COMT gene, val 158 met , has been linked to internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression and anxiety) in adolescents and adults. We extended this research by investigating whether the val 158met polymorphism was associated with childhood symptoms of depression and anxiety in two independent samples of young children (Ns = 476 and 409). In both samples, preschool‐aged children were genotyped for the COMT val 158met polymorphism. Symptoms of psychopathology were assessed via parent interviews and primary caregiver reports. In both samples, children homozygous for the val allele had higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to children with at least one copy of the met allele. Our findings extend previous research in older participants by showing links between the COMT val 158 met polymorphism and internalizing symptoms in early childhood. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.