Effects of a functional COMT polymorphism on brain anatomy and cognitive function in adults with velo-cardio-facial syndrome

van Amelsvoort, T., Zinkstok, J., Figee, M., Daly, E., Morris, R., Owen, Michael John ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4798-0862, Murphy, K. C., De Haan, L., Linszen, D. H., Glaser, Beate and Murphy, D. G. M. 2008. Effects of a functional COMT polymorphism on brain anatomy and cognitive function in adults with velo-cardio-facial syndrome. Psychological Medicine 38 (1) , pp. 89-100. 10.1017/S0033291707000700

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Abstract

Background Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) is associated with deletions at chromosome 22q11, abnormalities in brain anatomy and function, and schizophrenia-like psychosis. Thus it is assumed that one or more genes within the deleted region are crucial to brain development. However, relatively little is known about how genetic variation at 22q11 affects brain structure and function. One gene on 22q11 is catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT): an enzyme that degrades dopamine and contains a functional polymorphism (Val158Met) affecting enzyme activity. Here, we investigated the effect of COMT Val158Met polymorphism on brain anatomy and cognition in adults with VCFS. Method The COMT Val158Met polymorphism was genotyped for 26 adults with VCFS on whom DNA was available. We explored its effects on regional brain volumes using hand tracing approaches; on regional grey- and white-matter density using computerized voxel-based analyses; and measures of attention, IQ, memory, executive and visuospatial function using a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Results After corrections for multiple comparisons Val-hemizygous subjects, compared with Met-hemizygotes, had a significantly larger volume of frontal lobes. Also, Val-hemizygotes had significantly increased grey matter density in cerebellum, brainstem, and parahippocampal gyrus, and decreased white matter density in the cerebellum. No significant effects of COMT genotype on neurocognitive performance were found. Conclusions COMT genotype effects on brain anatomy in VCFS are not limited to frontal regions but also involve other structures previously implicated in VCFS. This suggests variation in COMT activity is implicated in brain development in VCFS.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine Psychology MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG) Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI) Physics and Astronomy Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC)
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Additional Information:	Pdf uploaded in accordance with publisher's policy at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0033-2917/ (accessed 25/02/2014).
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0033-2917
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	03 May 2023 09:17
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/29718

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