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Abstract
BackgroundCognitive deficits such as poor selective attention and executive functions decline have been reported in patients with schizophrenia. Many studies have emphasized the role of dopamine in regulating cognitive functions in the general population as well as in schizophrenia. However, the relationship between cognitive processes, schizophrenia and dopaminergic candidate genes is an original approach given interesting results. The purpose of the current exploratory study was to examine the interaction of dopaminergic genes (coding for dopamine receptor D2, DRD2, and for Catecholamine-O-Methyl-Transferase, COMT) with the diagnostic of schizophrenia in (i) the executive control of attention, (ii) selective attention, and (iii) executive functions.Methods and ResultsWe recruited 52 patients with schizophrenia and 53 healthy controls who performed the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Attention Network Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting test. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DRD2 gene (rs6275, rs6277, rs2242592 and rs1800497) and two SNPs in the COMT gene (rs4680 and rs165599) have been genotyped. Patients with schizophrenia performed significantly worse than controls in all cognitive performance, taking into account demographic variables. A significant gene by disease interaction was found for the Stroop interference (p = 0.002) for rs6275 of the DRD2 gene. The COMT Val/Val genotype and schizophrenia were associated with increased number of perseverative errors (p = 0.01).ConclusionsIn our study, the DRD2 gene is involved in attention while the COMT gene is implicated in executive functions in patients with schizophrenia.
Highlights
Schizophrenia is a complex and severe disorder affecting 1% of the population, with high heritability, estimated around 80%, suggesting a strong involvement of genetic factors [1]
The dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) gene is involved in attention while the COMT gene is implicated in executive functions in patients with schizophrenia
We have previously reported a strong association between schizophrenia and various polymorphisms within the DRD2/ANKK1 locus, including rs1800497 in the ANKK1 gene, including rs2242592 in the intergenic region and rs6277 in DRD2 gene [7]
Summary
Schizophrenia is a complex and severe disorder affecting 1% of the population, with high heritability, estimated around 80%, suggesting a strong involvement of genetic factors [1]. The gene coding for the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2), located on chromosome 11q22-2, is one of the most studied marker of susceptibility for schizophrenia [6]. Genetic studies have confirmed the positive association between rs1800497 and schizophrenia (for review, we refer the reader to [9]). Cognitive deficits such as poor selective attention and executive functions decline have been reported in patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of the current exploratory study was to examine the interaction of dopaminergic genes (coding for dopamine receptor D2, DRD2, and for Catecholamine-O-Methyl-Transferase, COMT) with the diagnostic of schizophrenia in (i) the executive control of attention, (ii) selective attention, and (iii) executive functions
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