The genetic study of computer game addiction
IntroductionAddiction to computer games (CA) is growing with a lightning speed in whole world. Very few studies are focused in the genetic basis of this disorder.ObjectivesTo study the COMT and MAOA polymorphism in addicts to computer games.MethodsTotally 42 persons were included in this study, 22 of them had CA and 20 were totally healthy. Out of 22 gamers, 10 persons had only CA. The rest of 12 patients suffered from another psychiatric disorder besides of CA (Schizotypal disorder, depression, bipolar disorder). Their mean age was 16 years (15; 17) and all of them were males.ResultsThe total frequency of alleles 3R and 5R of MAOA gene in patients with CA was 30.0%, which doesn’t have any statistical difference with the healthy persons. The genotype frequency of Val158Met of COMT gene is high in CA rather than in healthy persons (χ2 = 6.85, P = 0.03). Also, the homozygotes Val are much more in CA patients (59.1%) than in healthy persons (25%). On the other hand, the Val/Met combination is lower in CA patients (18.2%) than in healthy persons (55.0%).ConclusionThe Val158Met polymorphism of gene COMT may lead to CA formation.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.