Study: The Lack of Significant Association of the Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase (COMT) Gene Polymorphism in Violent Offenders with Mental Retardation

• NCJ Number: 229708
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 55 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2010 Pages: 225-228
• Author(s): Aysun Baransel Isir, M.D.; Alper Ibrahim Dai, M.D.; Muradiye Nacak, M.D.; Senay Gorucu, Ph.D.
• Date Published: January 2010
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Little is known about the criminality of cognitively impaired people, and also there have been no reports on the relationship between catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) and committed mental retardation (MR) subjects. In the present study, the association between committed (violent offenses) MR subjects and genetic variants of COMT were investigated by using polymerase chain reaction and based restriction fragment length polymorphism methods.

Abstract

During 6 years of follow-up, 36 violent offenders with mild MR were investigated. Thirty-six control volunteers were included in the study as a control group. H/L polymorphism of the COMT gene was investigated in these two groups. In conclusion, the COMT gene genotype distribution and allele frequency is not significantly different between the two groups (p greater than 0.05). This result suggests that the H/L polymorphism of the COMT gene does not show an association with the potential of "commits-violent offense" of Turkish subjects with mental retardation, compared with the control group. 1 figure, 2 tables, and 34 references (Published abstract)