COMT Val(158)Met and BDNF (CT)-T-270 polymorphisms in schizophrenia: a case-control study

In a multicenter study involving 217 subjects of European ancestry [106 patients with schizophrenia and 111 healthy subjects], we tested the hypothesis that the catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) Val(158)Met and/or the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (CT)-T-270 gene polymorphisms are associated with schizophrenia. The COMT and BDNF genotype and their allele distribution did not differ between patients with schizophrenia and healthy comparison subjects. These results do not support the hypothesis that the COMT Val(158)Met or BDNF (CT)-T-270 gene polymorphisms are associated with liability to schizophrenia. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.