@article{ref1,
title="Association of COMT and TPH-2 genes with DSM-5 based PTSD symptoms",
journal="Journal of affective disorders",
year="2014",
author="Goenjian, Armen K. and Noble, Ernest P. and Steinberg, Alan M. and Walling, David P. and Stepanyan, Sofia T. and Dandekar, Sugandha and Bailey, Julia N.",
volume="172C",
number="",
pages="472-478",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Dopaminergic and serotonergic systems have been implicated in PTSD. The present study evaluated the association of four catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene loci, and the joint effect of COMT and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) genes on PTSD symptoms. <br><br>METHODS: Subjects included 200 Caucasian Armenian adults exposed to the 1988 Spitak earthquake from 12 multigenerational (3-5 generations) families. Instruments used included the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index based on DSM-5 criteria, and the Beck Depression Inventory. <br><br>RESULTS: The adjusted heritabilitiy of vulnerability to DSM-5 based PTSD symptoms was 0.60 (p<10(-4)). There was a significant association of the COMT allele rs4633C with total PTSD (p<0.03), and D category (p<0.04) (negative alterations in cognitions and mood) severity scores, but not with C category (avoidance) scores. There was no genetic correlation between C and D category severity scores. COMT allele rs4633C and the TPH-2 allele rs11178997T together accounted for 7% of the variance in PTSD severity scores (p<0.001). None of the COMT alleles were associated with depression. LIMITATIONS: The ratings of earthquake exposure and prior trauma may have been subject to recall bias. The findings may not be generalizable to other ethnic/racial populations. <br><br>CONCLUSION: COMT allele rs4633C may be causally related and/or is in linkage disequilibrium with gene(s) that are causally related to PTSD symptoms. Carriers of these COMT and the TPH-2 alleles may be at increased risk for PTSD. The findings provide biological support for dividing DSM-IV category C symptoms into DSM-5 categories C and D.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0165-0327",
doi="10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.034",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.10.034"
}