Yonsei Med J.  2016 May;57(3):721-727. 10.3349/ymj.2016.57.3.721.

Association between the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Val(158)Met Polymorphism and Alexithymia in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Koh MJ
• Kang JI
• Namkoong K
• Lee SY
• Kim SJ

• KMID: 2374093
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2016.57.3.721

Abstract

PURPOSE
Alexithymia, defined as a deficit in the ability to recognize and describe one's own feelings, may be related to the development and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism and alexithymia in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We recruited 244 patients with OCD (169 males, 75 females). Alexithymia was assessed using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and genotyping of the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism was evaluated.
RESULTS
Patients with the COMT Val/Val genotype had significantly higher total and "difficulty identifying feelings" (DIF) subdimension scores than those with the Val/Met or Met/Met genotypes. Patients with the COMT Val/Val genotype had significantly higher "difficulty describing feelings" (DDF) subdimension scores than those with the COMT Val/Met genotype. However, there were no differences in the scores for the "externally oriented thinking" (EOT) subdimension among the three genotypes.
CONCLUSION
These results indicate that the high-activity Val allele of the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism is associated with increased alexithymic traits in patients with OCD. The present finding suggests that alexithymia is an endophenotype of OCD that is mediated by the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism.

Keyword

Alexithymia; COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism; endophenotype; obsessive-compulsive disorder; Toronto alexithymia scale

MeSH Terms

Adult
Affective Symptoms/*diagnosis/genetics/psychology
Alleles
Catechol O-Methyltransferase/*genetics
Female
Genotype
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/*diagnosis/genetics/psychology
Phenotype
*Polymorphism, Genetic
Republic of Korea
Catechol O-Methyltransferase

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