The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia

Abstract Background Although the positive association between impairments in metacognitive capacity and negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders is widely evidenced in the literature, the explaining mechanisms of this association are still less known and poorly understood. T...

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Main Authors: Feten Fekih-Romdhane, Georges Kerbage, Nagham Hachem, Michelle El Murr, Georges Haddad, Alexandre Andrade Loch, Rony Abou Khalil, Elissar El Hayek, Souheil Hallit
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06275-0
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author Feten Fekih-Romdhane
Georges Kerbage
Nagham Hachem
Michelle El Murr
Georges Haddad
Alexandre Andrade Loch
Rony Abou Khalil
Elissar El Hayek
Souheil Hallit
author_facet Feten Fekih-Romdhane
Georges Kerbage
Nagham Hachem
Michelle El Murr
Georges Haddad
Alexandre Andrade Loch
Rony Abou Khalil
Elissar El Hayek
Souheil Hallit
author_sort Feten Fekih-Romdhane
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Although the positive association between impairments in metacognitive capacity and negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders is widely evidenced in the literature, the explaining mechanisms of this association are still less known and poorly understood. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by testing the hypothesis that COMT rs4680 variants will act as moderators in the relationship between certain metacognitive domains and negative symptoms’ severity. Method A cross-sectional study was carried-out during the period between February and March 2024. A total of 115 biologically unrelated Arab (Lebanese) patients with schizophrenia were included. Results After controlling for sex and duration of illness as a potential confounder, moderation analyses showed that the AG genotype of the COMT rs4680 served as a significant moderator between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs about cognitive confidence (i.e. lack of confidence in memory) and negative symptoms. In non-carriers of the COMT rs4680 AG genotype, lower cognitive confidence (i.e., more “lack of cognitive confidence”) is significantly associated with greater negative symptoms. Conclusion Findings suggest that metacognition may be a relevant treatment target in the management of negative symptoms particularly in non-carriers of the COMT rs4680 AG genotype. Therefore, genetic testing could potentially be used to match patients with metacognitive interventions that are more likely to be effective in supporting recovery from negative symptoms.
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spelling doaj-art-e6ae08c04401450ab0af657d9609cbb92024-11-24T12:38:03ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2024-11-0124111110.1186/s12888-024-06275-0The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophreniaFeten Fekih-Romdhane0Georges Kerbage1Nagham Hachem2Michelle El Murr3Georges Haddad4Alexandre Andrade Loch5Rony Abou Khalil6Elissar El Hayek7Souheil Hallit8The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry “Ibn Omrane”, Razi HospitalSchool of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikFaculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikFaculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikSchool of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikLaboratorio de Neurociencias (LIM 27), Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao PauloFaculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikFaculty of Arts and Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikSchool of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of KaslikAbstract Background Although the positive association between impairments in metacognitive capacity and negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders is widely evidenced in the literature, the explaining mechanisms of this association are still less known and poorly understood. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by testing the hypothesis that COMT rs4680 variants will act as moderators in the relationship between certain metacognitive domains and negative symptoms’ severity. Method A cross-sectional study was carried-out during the period between February and March 2024. A total of 115 biologically unrelated Arab (Lebanese) patients with schizophrenia were included. Results After controlling for sex and duration of illness as a potential confounder, moderation analyses showed that the AG genotype of the COMT rs4680 served as a significant moderator between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs about cognitive confidence (i.e. lack of confidence in memory) and negative symptoms. In non-carriers of the COMT rs4680 AG genotype, lower cognitive confidence (i.e., more “lack of cognitive confidence”) is significantly associated with greater negative symptoms. Conclusion Findings suggest that metacognition may be a relevant treatment target in the management of negative symptoms particularly in non-carriers of the COMT rs4680 AG genotype. Therefore, genetic testing could potentially be used to match patients with metacognitive interventions that are more likely to be effective in supporting recovery from negative symptoms.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06275-0MetacognitionNegative symptomsCOMT geners4680Schizophrenia
spellingShingle Feten Fekih-Romdhane
Georges Kerbage
Nagham Hachem
Michelle El Murr
Georges Haddad
Alexandre Andrade Loch
Rony Abou Khalil
Elissar El Hayek
Souheil Hallit
The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
BMC Psychiatry
Metacognition
Negative symptoms
COMT gene
rs4680
Schizophrenia
title The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
title_full The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
title_fullStr The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
title_full_unstemmed The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
title_short The moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
title_sort moderating role of comt gene rs4680 polymorphism between maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
topic Metacognition
Negative symptoms
COMT gene
rs4680
Schizophrenia
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06275-0
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