Catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT) is associated with neurocognitive functioning in patients with sickle cell disease.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Neurocognitive impairment is a common and debilitating complication of sickle cell disease (SCD) resulting from a combination of biological and environmental factors. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene modulates levels of dopamine availability in the prefrontal cortex. COMT has repeatedly been implicated in the perception of pain stimuli and frequency of pain crises in patients with SCD and is known to be associated with neurocognitive functioning in the general population. The current study aimed to examine the associations of genetic variants in COMT and neurocognitive functioning in patients with SCD.

Patients and methods

The Sickle Cell Clinical Research and Intervention Program (SCCRIP) longitudinal cohort was used as a discovery cohort (n = 166). The

SUBMITTER: Heitzer AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11106217 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature