Psychiatric genetics
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Psychiatric genetics · Aug 2010
Catechol-O-methyltransferase modulation of cortisol secretion in psychiatrically at-risk and healthy adolescents.
Recent research implicates the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) ValMet polymorphism in stress sensitivity, through modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function. In healthy samples, Met homozygosity has been associated with greater HPA activity (i.e., cortisol) and stress sensitivity, though findings are mixed among clinical samples. To date, there are no reports examining baseline or longitudinal changes in HPA activity as a function of COMT genotype in youth. This study tested the hypothesis that COMT genotype would be associated with cortisol secretion in normal and at-risk adolescents; specifically, that COMT genotype would be linked in a dose-response manner such that Met homozygotes would have the highest salivary cortisol levels, followed by heterozygotes, then Val homozygotes. In addition, this study examined the relation of COMT genotype with longitudinal changes in cortisol. ⋯ Findings are discussed with respect to COMT genotype as a potential genetic indicator of psychiatric risk that modulates developmental changes in HPA activity.