COMT Val¹⁵⁸Met Polymorphism Exerts Sex-Dependent Effects on fMRI Measures of Brain Function.

ABSTRACT: Evidence suggests that dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) modulate executive functions. A key regulator of PFC dopamine is catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). The activity level of the COMT enzyme are influenced by sex and the Val¹⁵⁸Met polymorphism (rs4680) of the COMT gene, with male sex and Val alleles both being associated with higher bulk enzyme activity, and presumably lower PFC dopamine. COMT genotype has not only been associated with individual differences in frontal dopamine-mediated behaviors, but also with variations in neuroimaging measures of brain activity and functional connectivity. In this study, we investigated whether COMT genotype predicts individual differences in neural activity and connectivity, and whether such eff

SUBMITTER: Elton A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5723646 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature