Published online May 19, 2024. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v14.i5.695
Revised: April 9, 2024
Accepted: April 22, 2024
Published online: May 19, 2024
Processing time: 145 Days and 17 Hours
Cognitive reserve (CR) and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val/Met polymorphism are reportedly linked to negative symptoms in schizophrenia. However, the regulatory effect of the COMT genotype on the relationship bet
To investigate whether the relationship between CR and negative symptoms could be regulated by the COMT Val/Met polymorphism.
In a cross-sectional study, 54 clinically stable patients with schizophrenia underwent assessments for the COMT genotype, CR, and negative symptoms. CR was estimated using scores in the information and similarities subtests of a short form of the Chinese version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.
COMT Met-carriers exhibited fewer negative symptoms than Val homozygotes. In the total sample, significant negative correlations were found between negative symptoms and information, similarities. Associations between information, similarities and negative symptoms were observed in Val homozygotes only, with information and similarities showing interaction effects with the COMT genotype in relation to negative symptoms (information, β = -0.282, 95%CI: -0.552 to -0.011, P = 0.042; similarities, β = -0.250, 95%CI: -0.495 to -0.004, P = 0.046).
This study provides initial evidence that the association between negative symptoms and CR is under the regulation of the COMT genotype in schizophrenia.
Core Tip: Cognitive reserve (CR) and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val/Met polymorphism are reportedly linked to negative symptoms, which are a core clinical manifestation of schizophrenia. However, the regulatory effect of the COMT genotype on the relationship between CR and negative symptoms is unclear. In this study, COMT Met-carriers exhibited fewer negative symptoms than Val homozygotes. Information and similarities showed interaction effects with the COMT genotype in terms of negative symptoms. This preliminary study shows that the association between negative symptoms and CR may be under the regulation of the COMT genotype in schizophrenia.