The TNF-alpha gene −1031T>C polymorphism is associated with onset age but not with risk of schizophrenia in a Chinese population.

This study aims to determine the impact of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the TNF-alpha gene promoter on the susceptibility, onset age, and cognitive function of schizophrenia. Method: The SNP −1031T>C in the TNF-alpha gene was genotyped in 905 patients and 571 healthy controls. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess the schizophrenia symptoms and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) for cognitive function. Results: There was no significant difference in allele or genotype distribution of the SNP −1031T>C between patients and controls (p = .85, p = .98). This polymorphism had no significant genotypic effect on the symptomatology assessed by the PANSS. Interestingly, this polymorphism was significantly correlated with onset age in schizophrenia patients (p = .004). We found an earlier onset age in patients with the TT genotype compared to those with the CT and CC genotypes (both p
Source: Neuropsychology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research