title: The catechol-O-methyltransferase gene: its regulation and polymorphisms.
abstract: The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is of significant interest to neuroscience, due to its role in modulating dopamine function. COMT is dynamically regulated; its expression is altered during normal brain development and in response to environmental stimuli. In many cases the underlying molecular basis for these effects is unknown; however, in some cases (e.g., estrogenic regulation in the case of sex differences) regulatory mechanisms have been identified. COMT contains several functional polymorphisms and haplotypes, including the well-studied Val158Met polymorphism. Here I review the regulation of COMT and the functional polymorphisms within its sequence with respect to brain function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tunbridge
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase