Background: A valine/methionine polymorphism of the catechol O-methyltransferase gene at the nucleotide which encodes amino acid val or met at position 158 in the protein (COMT Val158Met polymorphism) has been associated with deficits in executive functioning in schizophrenia in some studies. The association between the COMT polymorphism and other cognitive domains has been the focus of only limited investigation.
Methods: We measured COMT Val158Met genotypes in N=364 individuals with schizophrenia. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). We employed univariate and multivariate analyses of variance to determine the association between COMT genotypes and the RBANS index and individual test scores.
Results: There was no significant association between the COMT Val158Met genotypes and any of the RBANS index or individual test scores measured in either univariate or multivariate analyses (all p>.3).
Conclusion: Based on the results in our sample, the catechol O-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism is not associated with broad-based cognitive functioning in schizophrenia.