Genetic Variation in the Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase Val108/158Met Is Linked to the Caudate and Posterior Cingulate Cortex Volume in Healthy Subjects: Voxel-Based Morphometry Analysis of Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PLoS One. 2015 Nov 13;10(11):e0142862. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142862. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

The effect of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism on brain morphology has been investigated but remains controversial. We hypothesized that a comparison between Val/Val and Val/Met individuals, which may represent the most different combinations concerning the effects of the COMT genotype, may reveal new findings. We investigated the brain morphology using 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging in 27 Val/Val and 22 Val/Met individuals. Voxel-based morphometry revealed that the volumes of the bilateral caudate and posterior cingulate cortex were significantly smaller in Val/Val individuals than in Val/Met individuals [right caudate: false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected p = 0.048; left caudate: FDR-corrected p = 0.048; and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex: FDR-corrected p = 0.048]. This study demonstrates that interacting functional variants of COMT affect gray matter regional volumes in healthy subjects.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Catechol O-Methyltransferase / genetics*
  • Caudate Nucleus / physiology*
  • Dopamine / metabolism
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Gray Matter / physiology
  • Gyrus Cinguli / physiology*
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Methionine / genetics
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Valine / genetics
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Methionine
  • COMT protein, human
  • Catechol O-Methyltransferase
  • Valine
  • Dopamine

Grants and funding

The authors have no support or funding to report.