Association between the catechol O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and alexithymia

Byung Joo Ham; Min Soo Lee; Young Mee Lee; Meyoung Kon Kim; Myoung Jin Choi; Kang Seob Oh; Yong Jung Han; Kyoon Lyoo In; Ihn Geun Choi

doi:10.1159/000087846

Association between the catechol O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and alexithymia

Byung Joo Ham, Min Soo Lee, Young Mee Lee, Meyoung Kon Kim, Myoung Jin Choi, Kang Seob Oh, Yong Jung Han, Kyoon Lyoo In, Ihn Geun Choi

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

It has been suggested that the characteristics of alexithymia result from deficits in frontal lobe functioning, and the prefrontal cortex is particularly dependent on the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) pathway. We investigated the relationship between COMT Val108/158Met, serotonin transporter coding sequence (5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region; 5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms, and alexithymia. The study sample comprised 109 students at the Korea University. All participants were tested using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They were genotyped for COMT Val108/158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. Genotyping was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Subjects with Val/Val genotype had significantly higher TAS-20 scores than those with Met/Met or Met/Val genotypes. However, there was no significant relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and TAS-20 scores. This indicates a possible association between the COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism and alexithymia.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	151-154
Number of pages	4
Journal	Neuropsychobiology
Volume	52
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1159/000087846
State	Published - Sep 2005

Keywords

5-HTTLPR polymorphism
Alexithymia
Catechol o-methyltransferase

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1159/000087846

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title = "Association between the catechol O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and alexithymia",

abstract = "It has been suggested that the characteristics of alexithymia result from deficits in frontal lobe functioning, and the prefrontal cortex is particularly dependent on the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) pathway. We investigated the relationship between COMT Val108/158Met, serotonin transporter coding sequence (5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region; 5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms, and alexithymia. The study sample comprised 109 students at the Korea University. All participants were tested using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They were genotyped for COMT Val108/158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. Genotyping was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Subjects with Val/Val genotype had significantly higher TAS-20 scores than those with Met/Met or Met/Val genotypes. However, there was no significant relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and TAS-20 scores. This indicates a possible association between the COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism and alexithymia.",

keywords = "5-HTTLPR polymorphism, Alexithymia, Catechol o-methyltransferase",

author = "Ham, {Byung Joo} and Lee, {Min Soo} and Lee, {Young Mee} and Kim, {Meyoung Kon} and Choi, {Myoung Jin} and Oh, {Kang Seob} and Han, {Yong Jung} and In, {Kyoon Lyoo} and Choi, {Ihn Geun}",

year = "2005",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1159/000087846",

language = "English",

volume = "52",

pages = "151--154",

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T1 - Association between the catechol O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and alexithymia

AU - Ham, Byung Joo

AU - Lee, Min Soo

AU - Lee, Young Mee

AU - Kim, Meyoung Kon

AU - Choi, Myoung Jin

AU - Oh, Kang Seob

AU - Han, Yong Jung

AU - In, Kyoon Lyoo

AU - Choi, Ihn Geun

PY - 2005/9

Y1 - 2005/9

N2 - It has been suggested that the characteristics of alexithymia result from deficits in frontal lobe functioning, and the prefrontal cortex is particularly dependent on the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) pathway. We investigated the relationship between COMT Val108/158Met, serotonin transporter coding sequence (5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region; 5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms, and alexithymia. The study sample comprised 109 students at the Korea University. All participants were tested using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They were genotyped for COMT Val108/158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. Genotyping was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Subjects with Val/Val genotype had significantly higher TAS-20 scores than those with Met/Met or Met/Val genotypes. However, there was no significant relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and TAS-20 scores. This indicates a possible association between the COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism and alexithymia.

AB - It has been suggested that the characteristics of alexithymia result from deficits in frontal lobe functioning, and the prefrontal cortex is particularly dependent on the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) pathway. We investigated the relationship between COMT Val108/158Met, serotonin transporter coding sequence (5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region; 5-HTTLPR) polymorphisms, and alexithymia. The study sample comprised 109 students at the Korea University. All participants were tested using the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). They were genotyped for COMT Val108/158Met and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms. Genotyping was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Subjects with Val/Val genotype had significantly higher TAS-20 scores than those with Met/Met or Met/Val genotypes. However, there was no significant relationship between the 5-HTTLPR genotype and TAS-20 scores. This indicates a possible association between the COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism and alexithymia.

KW - 5-HTTLPR polymorphism

KW - Alexithymia

KW - Catechol o-methyltransferase

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JO - Neuropsychobiology

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IS - 3

ER -

Association between the catechol O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism and alexithymia

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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