Relation of Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Genotype and Response to Cognitive Remediation Schizophrenia

Manhattan Psychiatric Center142 enrolled

Overview

This project will explore the relationship between catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158/108Met genotype and response to a 12-week computerized neurocognitive rehabilitation (CRT) given to chronic schizophrenic patients.

Cognitive deficits play a crucial role in both the pathogenesis and prognosis of schizophrenia. The COMT gene is functionally expressed in neural systems considered important in a range of healthy brain functions and brain disorders, including schizophrenia. The COMT Met allele has been shown to be associated with a lower activity form of COMT, and with better performance on neurocognitive tests, while the COMT Val allele is associated with poorer executive cognition. This study will investigate the relationship of COMT polymorphism in patients with chronic schizophrenia with the response to CRT targeting visuospatial processing, attention, and cognitive flexibility using MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) developed by the NIH-MATRICS initiative.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

142

Conditions

Chronic Schizophrenia

Interventions

Cognitive remediation therapyBEHAVIORAL

36 sessions of Computerized Cognitive Skills Training, 3 per week for 12 weeks.

COMT GenotypingGENETIC

One time saliva sample is taken to genotype catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158/108Met alleles.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 55 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Participation in the active arm of the neurocognitive remediation program 2. Age 18 - 55 3. Inpatients 4. DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia (all subtypes) with illness duration \>5 years 5. Auditory and visual acuity adequate to complete cognitive tests 6. Stable dose of oral atypical antipsychotic for at least 4 weeks 7. Total PANSS score \> 60 8. RBANS total score ≤ 80 9. MMSE score of greater than or equal to 24 10. Good physical health determined by physical examination, laboratory tests 11. Capacity and willingness to give written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: 1. Inability to read or speak English 2. Documented disease of the central nervous system 3. History of intellectual impairment pre-dating onset of symptoms of psychosis (e.g. mental retardation) 4. Clinically significant or unstable cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, gastrointestinal, pulmonary or hematologic conditions 5. HIV + 6. Patients diagnosed with substance dependence 7. Currently participating in another experimental study, except for the parent study.

Locations (1)

Manhattan Psychiatric Center

Wards Island, New York, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

To evaluate the effect of the association of COMT Val108/158 Met genotype with the response to a computerized neurocognitive rehabilitation treatment in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

To expand the response to a computerized neurocognitive rehabilitation treatment in patients with chronic schizophrenia to other haplotypes or identified genes.

Time frame: 12 weeks

To assess the differences in demographic variables (e.g. ethnicity, intellectual functioning as measured by WRAT III Reading test, and age) with response to computerized neurocognitive rehabilitation treatment in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Time frame: 12 weeks

To assess the differences between antipsychotic treatment and response to computerized neurocognitive rehabilitation treatment in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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