Maladaptive/irrational beliefs are significant cognitive vulnerability mechanisms in psychopathology. They are more likely to be associated with a genetic vulnerability marker under conditions of @entity147 when irrational beliefs are more salient. Therefore, in the current study we investigated the @entity5549 Val(158)Met gene variation in relation to irrational beliefs, assuming this relationship depended on the level of @entity147 . Two hundred and sixty-seven genotyped volunteers were assessed for core/general maladaptive beliefs, as well as trait @entity147 . We focused on context-independent measures of irrational @entity147 in the absence of a stressor. As expected, the relationship between @entity5549 Val(158)Met and irrational beliefs depended on the level of @entity147 (f(2)=.314). The @entity5549 @entity2596 (158)Met-irrationality association was significant only when individuals fell in the average to above average range of @entity147 . Furthermore, within this range the Met allele seemed to relate to higher irrational beliefs. These results were significant for overall irrational beliefs and its subtypes, but not for rational beliefs, the functional counterpart of irrationality. In light of the study's limitations, the results should be considered as preliminary. If replicable, these findings have potential implications for therapygenetics, changing the view that @entity5549 Val(158)Met might be of greater relevance when treatment modality does not rely on cognitive variables.

Genetic Correlates of Maladaptive Beliefs: XXXX VAL(158)MET and Irrational Cognitions Linked Depending on Distress.

@entity2596 :: ('CHEBI:16414', 'Chemical') :: ['Val'] @entity5549 :: ('1312', 'Gene') :: ['COMT'] @entity147 :: ('MESH:D005316', 'Disease') :: ['emotional distress', 'beliefs and emotional distress']
@entity5549 :: (1312,Gene) :: ['COMT']
