Psychiatry Research EG

Background This work was conducted to test for the association of genetic polymorphisms of catecholO-methyltransferase (COMT) with the susceptibility and clinical patterns of schizophrenia among Saudi patients. Participants and methods This is a case–control study involving 79 patients fulfilling the ICD-10 criteria of schizophrenia and 82 healthy controls. Patients were interviewed by different tools, which included the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies (DIGS/V4.0), the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (version 2.0) (WHO/DAS II). All patients and controls were screened for COMT G >A gene polymorphisms using the real-time PCR technique. Results Frequencies of all genetic variants of COMT G >A [V158M] did not show a significant difference on comparing cases with controls (P > 0.05). Comparing the frequencies of genetic variants in cases having positive parental consanguinity and a family history of schizophrenia or other mental illnesses with those without a history also showed nonsignificant results (P > 0.05). A stratified analysis related to severity scores and associated clinical illnesses also showed a nonsignificant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusion Polymorphism related to COMT G >A was not associated with the susceptibility and the severity of schizophrenia among Saudi cases. Keywords: catechol-O-methyltransferase, gene polymorphism, Saudi Arabia, schizophrenia