Sympathetic nervous function and the effect of the catechol-O-methyltransferase Val(158)Met polymorphism in patients with panic disorder.

Background: Sympathetic nervous function abnormalities have long been suggested to be a possible etiology of panic disorder (PD). Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) affects sympathetic activities, and the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism has been suggested to be related to PD. The authors examined the relationship between sympathetic nervous function and the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism in PD patients.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients [Val/Val (51.7%) and Met allele carriers (48.3%)] and 58 age-matched normal control subjects [Val/Val (56.9%) and Met allele carriers (43.1%)] were compared in terms of finger skin temperature, which is known to be a useful marker of sympathetic nervous function.

Results: A significant COMT Val(158)Met polymorphismxdiagnosis interaction was found. Specifically, the met allele was found to be associated with a lower skin temperature in PD patients.

Conclusion: These results suggest that the COMT Met allele is related to the higher sympathetic nervous function observed in PD.