Association between COMT and 5-HTTLPR Polymorphisms in Korean Patients with Panic Disorder : A Replication Study.
- Author:
Se Woong KIM
1
;
Tai Kiu CHOI
;
Sang Hyuk LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University. Seongnam, Korea. drshlee27@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Panic disorder;
Agoraphobia;
Polymorphisms;
5-HTTLPR gene;
COMT gene
- MeSH:
Agoraphobia;
Alleles;
Anxiety;
Catechol O-Methyltransferase;
Depression;
Genotype;
Humans;
Korea;
Panic Disorder*;
Panic*;
Serotonin
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Biological Psychiatry
2016;23(4):166-172
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and serotonin related gene polymorphisms may be associated with agoraphobia in patients with panic disorder in Korea. METHODS: The COMT gene (rs4680), 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) gene (rs25531), serotonin receptor 1A (HTR1A) gene (rs6295) genotypes were analyzed in 406 patients with panic disorder and age-sex matched 206 healthy controls. Patients with panic disorder were dichotomized by the presence of agoraphobia. The following instruments were applied : the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Panic Disorder Severity Scale. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the distribution of 5-HTTLPR genotype between panic patients with agoraphobia and without agoraphobia (p = 0.024). That is, the panic patients with agoraphobia had a significant excess of the less active 5-HTTLPR allele (S allele). (p = 0.039) Also, we replicated previous western reports which indicated a significant difference in the distribution of COMT genotype between the patients with panic disorder and the healthy controls (p = 0.040). However, no significant associations of agoraphobia or panic disorder with HTR1A gene polymorphisms were found. CONCLUSIONS: This result supports that the COMT polymorphisms may be associated with panic disorder and suggests that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms may play a role in the pathogenesis of agoraphobia in the Korean patients with panic disorder.
