Citation

Zalsman G, Huang YY, Oquendo MA, Brent DA, Giner L, Haghighi F, Burke AK, Ellis SP, Currier D, Mann JJ. Arch. Suicide Res. 2008; 12(4): 327-335.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811110802324912

PMID

18828035

Abstract

The Met allele of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) gene functional polymorphism (COMT-V158M) is associated with lower enzymatic activity than the Val allele and is reported to be associated with aggression, depression, and suicidal behavior. Since depression and impulsive-aggressive behavior may mediate risk for suicidal behavior, we assessed the association of this polymorphism with suicidal behavior. Clinical (impulsive aggression) and biological (CSF monoamine metabolites) endophenotypes were tested as potential mediators of the effect of genotype on suicide risk. Subjects with mood disorders (N = 486) and healthy volunteers (N = 119), all European Caucasian, were genotyped for COMT-V158M and assessed for DSM IV diagnoses, lifetime suicidal behavior, lifetime impulsivity, hostility, and aggression. CSF monoamine metabolites were assayed in a sub-sample of mood disorder patients (N = 111). We found no association between genotype and mood disorder diagnosis or with reported history of suicide attempt in mood disorder subjects. There was no association between genotype and lethality or method of suicide attempt, or with aggressive/impulsive traits. Further, there was no difference in monoamine metabolites by genotype. The COMT-V158M polymorphism was not associated with suicidal behavior in a Caucasian sample of mood disorder subjects, or with possible clinical or biological endophenotypes.

Language: en