Title:The Role of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Gene in Personality and Related Psychopathological Disorders
VOLUME: 11 ISSUE: 3
Author(s):Christian Montag, Magdalena Jurkiewicz and Martin Reuter
Affiliation:University of Bonn, Department of Psychology, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, D-53111 Bonn, Germany.
Keywords:COMT Val158Met, personality, genetic imaging, anxiety, anxiety disorders, catechol-o-methyltransferase,
dopamine, Eysenck's personality theory, Behavioral Inhibition system, Fight flight freezing system, Panksepp's personality theory
Abstract:This review provides a short overview of the most significant biologically oriented theories of human
personality. Personality concepts of Eysenck, Gray and McNaughton, Cloninger and Panksepp will be introduced and the
focal evidence for the heritability of personality will be summarized. In this context, a synopsis of a large number of
COMT genetic association studies (with a focus on the COMT Val158Met polymorphism) in the framework of the
introduced biologically oriented personality theories will be given. In line with the theory of a continuum model between
healthy anxious behavior and related psychopathological behavior, the role of the COMT gene in anxiety disorders will be
discussed. A final outlook considers new research strategies such as genetic imaging and epigenetics for a better
understanding of human personality.
