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. 2021 Feb 22:17:567-574.
doi: 10.2147/NDT.S286102. eCollection 2021.

Association Analysis Between Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Expression and Cognitive Function in Patients with Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, or Major Depression

Peiyan Ni  1   2   3 , Manli Liu  1   2   3 , Dequan Wang  1   2   3 , Yang Tian  1   2   3 , Liansheng Zhao  1   2   3 , Jinxue Wei  1   2   3 , Xueli Yu  1   2   3 , Xueyu Qi  1   2   3 , Xiaojing Li  1   2   3 , Hua Yu  1   2   3 , Rongjun Ni  1   2   3 , Xiaohong Ma  1   2   3 , Wei Deng  1   2   3 , Wanjun Guo  1   2   3 , Qiang Wang  1   2   3 , Tao Li  1   2   3   4
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Association Analysis Between Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Expression and Cognitive Function in Patients with Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, or Major Depression

Peiyan Ni et al. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. .

Abstract

Introduction: Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), and major depressive disorder are three common mental disorders. Although their diagnosis and treatment differ, they partially overlap.

Methods: To explore the similarities and characteristics of these three psychiatric diseases, an intelligence quotient (IQ) assessment was performed to evaluate cognitive deficits. Relative catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was examined in all three groups compared with healthy controls (HCs).

Results: The results indicated that patients with any of the three psychiatric diseases presented IQ deficits, and that the first-episode schizophrenia (FES) group had even lower cognitive function than the other two groups. The relative COMT expression decreased in the FES group and increased in the BD group compared with the HC group. The correlation analysis of COMT expression level and IQ scores showed a positive correlation between relative COMT expression and full-scale IQ in the HC group. However, this correlation disappeared in all three psychiatric diseases studied.

Conclusion: In conclusion, this cross-disease strategy provided important clues to explain lower IQ scores and dysregulated COMT expression among three common mental illnesses.

Keywords: BD; COMT; FES; IQ; MDD; bipolar disorder; catechol-O-methyltransferase; first-episode major depressive disorder; first-episode schizophrenia; intelligence quotient.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Full-scale IQ score positively correlated with relative COMT expression in the HC group. (A) Relative COMT expression among different groups of patients and controls. (B) Correlation analysis of COMT expression and full-scale IQ score in the HC group. Gene expression data normalized by GAPDH expression. Data are presented as mean±SEM. Asterisks indicate P<0.001.
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