Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphisms predict treatment response in electroconvulsive therapy

The Pharmacogenomics Journal volume 8, pages 113–116 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Several lines of evidence suggest that catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) may be associated with treatment response in depression. We conducted a study on 119 patients with treatment-refractory depression admitted consecutively for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The COMT high/high genotype leads to a higher enzyme activity and thus lowers dopaminergic activity in the prefrontal cortex. In the present sample, those homozygous to high-active allele of COMT responded significantly more frequently to ECT.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. UK ECT Review Group. Efficacy and safety of electroconvulsive therapy in depressive disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 2003; 361: 799–808.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Millan MJ . Multi-target strategies for the improved treatment of depressive states: conceptual foundations and neuronal substrates, drug discovery and therapeutic application. Pharmacol Ther 2006; 110: 135–370.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Kapur S, Mann JJ . Role of the dopaminergic system in depression. Biol Psychiatry 1992; 32: 1–17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Yoshida K, Higuchi H, Kamata M, Yoshimoto M, Shimizu T, Hishikawa Y . Single and repeated electroconvulsive shocks activate dopaminergic and 5-hydroxytryptaminergic neurotransmission in the frontal cortex of rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 1998; 22: 435–444.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ishihara K, Sasa M . Mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on depression. Jpn J Pharmacol 1999; 80: 185–189.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Lammers CH, Diaz J, Schwartz JC, Sokoloff P . Selective increase of dopamine D3 receptor gene expression as a common effect of chronic antidepressant treatments. Mol Psychiatry 2000; 5: 378–388.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Henry ME, Schmidt ME, Matochik JA, Stoddard EP, Potter WZ . The effects of ECT on brain glucose: a pilot FDG PET study. J ECT 2001; 17: 33–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Andrade C, Srinivasamurthy GM, Vishwasenani A, Prakash GS, Srihari BS, Chandra JS . High but not low ECS stimulus intensity augments apomorphine-stimulated dopamine postsynaptic receptor functioning in rats. J ECT 2002; 18: 80–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Lachman HM, Papolos DF, Saito T, Yu YM, Szumlanski CL, Weinshilboum RM . Human catechol-O-methyltransferase pharmacogenetics: description of a functional polymorphism and its potential application to neuropsychiatric disorders. Pharmacogenetics 1996; 6: 243–250.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Grover S, Mattoo SK, Gupta N . Theories on mechanism of action of electroconvulsive therapy. German J Psychiatry 2005; 8: 70–84.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Szegedi A, Rujescu D, Tadic A, Muller MJ, Kohnen R, Stassen HH et al. The catechol-O-methyltransferase Val108/158Met polymorphism affects short-term treatment response to mirtazapine, but not to paroxetine in major depression. Pharmacogenomics J 2005; 5: 49–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Arias B, Serretti A, Lorenzi C, Gasto C, Catalan R, Fananas L . Analysis of COMT gene (Val 158 Met polymorphism) in the clinical response to SSRIs in depressive patients of European origin. J Affect Disord 2006; 90: 251–256.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Gogos JA, Morgan M, Luine V, Santha M, Ogawa S, Pfaff D et al. Catechol-O-methyltransferase-deficient mice exhibit sexually dimorphic changes in catecholamine levels and behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998; 95: 9991–9996.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Fisman M, Rabheru K, Hegele RA, Sharma V, Fisman D, Doering M et al. Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and response to electroconvulsive therapy. J ECT 2001; 17: 11–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Huuhka M, Anttila S, Leinonen E, Huuhka K, Rontu R, Mattila KM et al. The apolipoprotein E polymorphism is not associated with response to electroconvulsive therapy in major depressive disorder. J ECT 2005; 21: 7–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Huuhka K, Anttila S, Huuhka M, Leinonen E, Rontu R, Mattila KM et al. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphisms G196A and C270T are not associated with the response to electroconvulsive therapy in major depressive disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2007; 257: 31–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Anttila S, Huuhka K, Huuhka M, Rontu R, Mattila KM, Leinonen E et al. Interaction between TPH1 and GNB3 genotypes and electroconvulsive therapy in major depression. J Neural Transm 2007; 114: 461–468.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Livak KJ . Allelic discrimination using fluorogenic probes and the 5' nuclease assay. Genet Anal 1999; 14: 143–149.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Medical Fund of Tampere University Hospital.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Tampere Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    Sami Anttila, Kaija Huuhka, Martti Huuhka, Ari Illi, Riikka Rontu, Esa Leinonen & Terho Lehtimäki

  2. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Laboratory of Atherosclerosis Genetics, Centre for Laboratory Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

    Sami Anttila, Riikka Rontu & Terho Lehtimäki

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Pitkäniemi, Finland

    Kaija Huuhka, Martti Huuhka & Esa Leinonen

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Kanta-Häme Central Hospital, Hämeenlinna, Finland

    Ari Illi

Authors
  1. Sami Anttila
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kaija Huuhka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Martti Huuhka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ari Illi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Riikka Rontu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Esa Leinonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Terho Lehtimäki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sami Anttila.

Additional information

Duality of interest

We declare that we have no duality or conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Anttila, S., Huuhka, K., Huuhka, M. et al. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphisms predict treatment response in electroconvulsive therapy. Pharmacogenomics J 8, 113–116 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.tpj.6500468

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.tpj.6500468

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links