RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the interaction between childhood trauma exposure with the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) polymorphisms in relation to neuropsychological measures in children with ADHD. METHOD: A cross-sectional examination of early traumatic experiences and the continuous performance test (CPT) were performed in 55 children with ADHD. Participants were also genotyped for the DRD4 exon III 48-bp variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism and the COMT Val158-Met (rs4680) polymorphism. RESULTS: There was significant interaction between the effects of the COMT genotype and trauma in commission errors. In participants with ADHD carrying the COMT Val/Val genotype, the group exposed to trauma showed significantly higher commission errors than the non-traumatized group. However, for the participants with other genotypes, no significant differences were found. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that there exists a genetic influence on the association between childhood trauma and the severity of inhibitory deficits in children with ADHD.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/genética , Catecol O-Metiltransferasa/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple/genética , Receptores de Dopamina D4/genética , Trastornos de Estrés Traumático/genética , Adolescente , Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad/enzimología , Niño , Estudios Transversales , Exones/genética , Femenino , Interacción Gen-Ambiente , Genotipo , Humanos , Inhibición Psicológica , Masculino , Repeticiones de Minisatélite/genética , Trastornos de Estrés Traumático/enzimologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Factors affecting acetylcholine-mediated neurotransmission have been proposed as possible explanations for physical and mental health symptoms among veterans of the 1990-1991 Gulf War. This study was designed to examine relationships of deployment to the Gulf, as well as symptoms after military service, with postdeployment activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and related enzymes. METHODS: The patient population included 488 veterans, originally from Iowa at enlistment, who served in the US military during August 1990 to July 1991. Demographic, military, and clinical characteristics were obtained from a population-based cohort study (in 1995-1996) and from a nested case-control study (in 1999-2002). Stored serum samples (from the 1999-2002 assessment) were analyzed for activity of AChE and related enzymes. These two data sources were merged, and multiple linear regression models estimated the association of deployment, stress (anxiety) or mood disorders, and symptoms compatible with Gulf War veterans' illnesses (GWVIs), with enzyme activity. RESULTS: Seventy-four percent (n = 361) of veterans had been deployed to the Gulf. At the time of evaluation, 23% (n = 113) of participants reported anxiety and 15% (n = 71) reported mood disorders; 49% (n = 171 of 347 eligible veterans) had symptoms of GWVIs, and the median AChE activity was 839 units. AChE activity was similar for compared groups across all categories, including an adjusted difference of -27 units (p = .50) for deployed versus nondeployed veterans and 87 units (p = .13) for veterans with versus without symptoms of GWVIs. CONCLUSIONS: Neither deployment to the Gulf nor symptoms compatible with GWVIs are associated with long-term serum AChE activity.