Abstract
BackgroundCatechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphisms play an essential role in dopamine availability in the brain. However, there has been no study investigating whether a functional four-SNP (rs6269-rs4633-rs4818-rs4680) haplotype is associated with affective symptoms over the life course. MethodsWe tested this using 2093 members of the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (MRC NSHD), who had been followed up since birth in 1946, and had data for COMT genotypes, adolescent emotional problems (age 13–15) and at least one measure of adult affective symptoms at ages 36, 43, 53, or 60–64 years. First, differences in the levels of affective symptoms by the functional haplotype using SNPs rs6269, rs4818, and rs4680 were tested in a structural equation model framework. Second, interactions between affective symptoms by COMT haplotype were tested under an additive model. Finally, a quadratic regressor (haplotype2) was used in a curvilinear model, to test for a possible inverted-U trend in affective symptoms according to COMT-related dopamine availability. ResultsWomen had a significant interaction between COMT haplotypes and adolescent emotional problem on affective symptoms at age 53. Post hoc analysis showed a significant positive association between adolescent emotional problems and affective symptoms at age 53 years in the middle dopamine availability group (valA/valB or met/met; β = .11, p = .007). For men, no significant interactions were observed. ConclusionsCombination of the COMT functional haplotype model and inverted-U model may shed light on the effect of dopaminergic regulation on the trajectory of affective symptoms over the life course.
Highlights
Affective symptoms are common psychological occurrences that mainly emerge in early adolescence (Patton et al, 2014; Thapar et al, 2012)
There was no significant difference in any measure of affective symptoms between functional haplotype (Table 2 and Supplementary Tables S1 and S2)
The initial structural equation model (SEM) model to test the effect of sex did not have a good fit (n = 2093, χ2 = 98.0, p < .001, CFI = .86, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.52, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .065, SRMR = 0.057) and showed a main effect of sex in all affective symptom measures, as well as sex interactions with the adolescent emotional problems on the GHQ score at age 60–64, and with the Psychiatric Symptom Frequency (PSF) score at age 43 on the GHQ score at age 60–64
Summary
Affective symptoms are common psychological occurrences that mainly emerge in early adolescence (Patton et al, 2014; Thapar et al, 2012). In a prospective longitudinal study neuroticism (a personality trait that highly correlates with depression) significantly increased from adolescence to adulthood in female Val homozygotes, but not in Met-allele carriers (Lehto et al, 2013). These results suggest that life course trajectories of affective symptoms can be modified by the COMT polymorphisms; results are inconsistent. Post hoc analysis showed a significant positive association between adolescent emotional problems and affective symptoms at age 53 years in the middle dopamine availability group (valA/ valB or met/met; β = .11, p = .007). Conclusions: Combination of the COMT functional haplotype model and inverted-U model may shed light on the effect of dopaminergic regulation on the trajectory of affective symptoms over the life course
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