title: The association between headache and Val158Met polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene: the HUNT Study.
abstract: The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene contains a functional polymorphism, Val158Met, that has been found to influence human pain perception, and one study has found that migraine was less likely among those with the Val/Val polymorphism. In the 1995-97 Nord-Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study, the association between the Val158Met polymorphism and headache was evaluated in a random sample of 2451 individuals. No association between Val158Met polymorphism and migraine was found. Among women, a lower prevalence of non-migrainous headache was found among individuals with the Val/Val genotype than among those with other genotypes (26.2% vs. 33.6%, p = 0.04). That non-migrainous headache was less likely among women with the Val/Val genotype may be an incidental finding, but should be investigated in further studies.
authors: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. knut.hagen@ntnu.no
authors: Knut
authors: K
authors: Hagen
authors: Elin
authors: E
authors: Pettersen
authors: Lars Jacob
authors: LJ
authors: Stovner
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Skorpen
authors: John-Anker
authors: JA
authors: Zwart