Dopamine 2 receptor C957T and catechol-o-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphisms are associated with treatment response in electroconvulsive therapy

Alterations in dopamine levels and dopamine receptors in brain are suggested to be associated with treatment response in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Dopamine 2 receptor gene (DRD2) polymorphism C957T (rs6277) and cathechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism Val158Met (rs4680) interaction was studied in 118 patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) treated with ECT and 383 healthy controls. It was found that the combination of COMT Met allele and DRD2 T allele predicted more severe depression in those already affected but did not predict the risk of depression when compared to normal population. The genotype modified the response to ECT. The patients with TT genotype of D2 receptor gene C957T polymorphism combined with COMT gene polymorphism Met/Met genotype did not achieve remission as often as those with CC genotype of DRD2 C957T combined with COMT Val/Val genotype. Thus the interaction of these polymorphisms may be associated with response to ECT.