A proof-of-concept study: investigating the impact of COMT genotype and proline on negative symptoms in Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Negative neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as apathy, are a core feature of Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies have shown that levels of fasting plasma proline and differential activity of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme, which metabolises dopamine, influence negative symptoms in patients with severe psychiatric illness and those at risk for psychosis. For patients with the COMT high activity enzyme (as assessed via the COMT Val¹⁵⁸Met polymorphism), high plasma proline was associated with less severe negative symptoms. Conversely, high proline was associated with more severe negative symptoms in patients with the low activity COMT enzyme.

Aims

In this proof-of-concept cross-sectional study, we tested the hypothesis that proline and COMT

SUBMITTER: Clelland JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12724090 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature