Beneficial and adverse effects of antipsychotic medication on cognitive flexibility are related to COMT genotype in first episode psychosis

This study evaluated the ability to flexibly shift cognitive set and to consistently maintain a new response preference using the Penn Conditional Exclusion Test (PCET). The relationship of performance errors with catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) rs4680 (Val158Met) genotype (Met carriers vs. Val homozygotes) on test performance before and after antipsychotic treatment in 32 first episode psychosis (FEP) patients was examined. After treatment, patients demonstrated a mixture of beneficial and adverse cognitive outcomes that varied in relation to COMT genotype.

Source: Schizophrenia Research - June 22, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Courtney L.M. Nelson, Hayley M. Amsbaugh, James L. Reilly, Cherise Rosen, Robert W. Marvin, Michael E. Ragozzino, Jeffrey R. Bishop, John A. Sweeney, S. Kristian Hill Source Type: research