Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Objective：There is increasing evidence that free radical-mediated CNS neuronal dysfunction is involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This study was performed to examine the relationship between antioxidant defense system and schizophrenia by analyzing polymorphism of catalase gene, an antioxidant enzyme. 

Method：Genotype and allele frequencies in the promoter region in the catalase gene using restriction fragment length polymorphism were studied, comparing 155 Korean controls with 167 Korean schizophrenics. 

Results：No difference was found between the schizophrenics and the controls in genotype and allele frequencies of HinfⅠ polymorphism in the catalase gene. Significant difference was found between the female schizophrenics and the female controls in the genotype distribution(χ²=11.096, df=2, p=0.004). 

Conclusions：The results do not support an association between polymorphism of catalase gene and schizophrenia. However, this study suggests that HinfⅠ polymorphism in the catalase gene could be associated with female schizophrenics. 

Keywords Schizophrenia;Free radical;Catalase;Polymorphism;Association.