Journal article

Adverse effect of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met met/met genotype in methamphetamine-related executive dysfunction

Mariana Cherner, Caitlin W-M Watson, Rowan Saloner, Laura E Halpin, Arpi Minassian, Sarah S Murray, Florin Vaida, Chad Bousman, Ian Everall, Igor Grant, Ronald J Ellis, Scott L Letendre, Cristian L Achim, Mariana Cherner, Erin E Morgan, Jared Young, Ian S Abramson, Clint Cushman, Florin Vaida, Ian S Abramson Show all

ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS | PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD | Published : 2019

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The Val allele of the Val158Met single-nucleotide polymorphism of the catechol-o-methyltransferase gene (COMT) confers greater catabolism of dopamine (DA) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) than the Met allele. Met/Met homozygotes typically outperform Val-carriers on tests of executive function (EF), perhaps resulting from increased DA bioavailability. Methamphetamine (METH) causes large releases of DA, which is associated with neurotoxicity and executive dysfunction in chronic METH users. We hypothesized that, contrary to its effect in non-METH-using populations, slower DA clearance conferred by Met/Met will relate to worse EF in METH users. METHODS: 149 non-Hispanic White men, st..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by National Institute on Drug Abuse


Funding Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse R01 DA26334: COMT Genotype and Risky Decision Making in HIV and Methamphetamine Dependence (M. Cherner) & P50DA26306: Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center (I. Grant).