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COMT Val158Met moderation of stress-induced psychosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 July 2007

NICHOLAS C. STEFANIS ,
CÉCILE HENQUET ,
DIMITRIOS AVRAMOPOULOS ,
NIKOLAOS SMYRNIS ,
IOANNIS EVDOKIMIDIS ,
INEZ MYIN-GERMEYS ,
COSTAS N. STEFANIS  and
JIM VAN OS
NICHOLAS C. STEFANIS*
Affiliation:
University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece Eginition Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
CÉCILE HENQUET
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
DIMITRIOS AVRAMOPOULOS
Affiliation:
University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece
NIKOLAOS SMYRNIS
Affiliation:
University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece Eginition Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
IOANNIS EVDOKIMIDIS
Affiliation:
University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece
INEZ MYIN-GERMEYS
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
COSTAS N. STEFANIS
Affiliation:
University Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece
JIM VAN OS
Affiliation:
Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network, EURON, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Nicholas C. Stefanis, Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, 74 Vas. Sofias Avenue, Athens11528, Greece. (Email: nistefan@med.uoa.gr)
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Abstract

Background

Exposure to stressful life events increases the risk of developing a psychotic disorder. Moreover, increased reactivity to stress seems to represent part of the vulnerability for psychosis. This study aimed to investigate whether a functional polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT Val158Met) gene moderates the psychosis-inducing effects of stress.

Method

A semi-experimental stress exposure paradigm was used in a sample of 306 genotyped young men (aged 19–24 years), in whom measures of psychotic symptoms were obtained at recruitment in the Greek army (exposed condition) and again after 18 months of military training (unexposed condition).

Results

Stress exposure at army induction was associated with an increased level of psychotic symptoms. In addition, carriers of the COMT Val158Met Val allele were more susceptible to the effect of stress on the psychosis outcome than those with the Met/Met genotype (test for interaction: χ2=5·02, df=1, p=0·025).

Conclusion

The COMT Val158Met genotype may moderate the effect of stress on psychotic symptoms.

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 37 , Issue 11 , November 2007 , pp. 1651 - 1656
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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