Because dopaminergic disturbance is thought to be involved in the development of bipolar disorder (BPD), it seems essential to investigate dopamine-related genes like the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, which are involved in dopamine metabolism, and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, which may affect COMT methylation and COMT function.
The negative effects of antipsychotics on cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder may be moderated by the COMT Val 108/158 Met genotype, with a negative effect of Val allele load.
A gene coexpression network was developed based on a mutual information approach including four candidate genes (NRG1, DISC1, BDNF and COMT) along with other coexpressing genes in unipolar disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.