AUTHOR=Millenet Sabina K. , Nees Frauke , Heintz Stefan , Bach Christiane , Frank Josef , Vollstädt-Klein Sabine , Bokde Arun , Bromberg Uli , Büchel Christian , Quinlan Erin B. , Desrivières Sylvane , Fröhner Juliane , Flor Herta , Frouin Vincent , Garavan Hugh , Gowland Penny , Heinz Andreas , Ittermann Bernd , Lemaire Herve , Martinot Jean-Luc , Martinot Marie-Laure P. , Papadoulos Dimitri O. , Paus Tomáš , Poustka Luise , Rietschel Marcella , Smolka Michael N. , Walter Henrik , Whelan Rob , Schumann Gunter , Banaschewski Tobias , Hohmann Sarah TITLE=COMT Val158Met Polymorphism and Social Impairment Interactively Affect Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Symptoms in Healthy Adolescents JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics VOLUME=9 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2018.00284 DOI=10.3389/fgene.2018.00284 ISSN=1664-8021 ABSTRACT=

The dopaminergic system has been shown to have substantial effects on the etiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, while some studies found a significant direct effect, others did not. In this context, social behavior might play an important role as a factor that is related both to the dopaminergic system and ADHD. In a large epidemiological sample of adolescents (N = 462; 16–17 years), we assessed the level of ADHD symptoms using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, social behavior using the Social Responsiveness Scale, and the allelic distribution of the dopaminergic catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism. We found a significant association between COMT and social impairment, insofar as Met-allele carriers showed increased levels of social impairment. Moreover, social impairment significantly determined an association between COMT and ADHD (explained variance: 19.09%). This effect did not significantly differ between males and females. COMT and social impairment might interactively affect ADHD symptomatology, and could thus represent significant gene-phenotypic risk factors for ADHD symptomatology. This might have interesting implications for prevention and intervention strategies with a focus on social behavior in genetically at-risk individuals.