Interaction of COMT val158met and externalizing behavior: relation to prefrontal brain activity and behavioral performance.
A promising approach in neuroimaging studies aimed at understanding effects of single genetic variants on behavior is the study of gene-trait interactions. Variation in the catechol-O-methyl-transferase gene (COMT) is associated with the regulation of dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex and with cognitive functioning. Given the involvement of dopaminergic neurotransmission in externalizing behavior, a trait characterized by impulsivity and aggression, especially in men, externalizing (as a trait) may index a set of genetic, environmental, and neural characteristics pertinent to understanding phenotypic effects of genetic variation in the COMT gene. In the current study, we used a gene-trait approach to investigate effects of the COMT val(158)met polymorphism and externalizing on brain activity during moments involving low or high demands on cognitive control. In 104 male participants, interference-related activation depended conjointly on externalizing and val(158)met: stronger activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate and lateral prefrontal cortex was found for val/val individuals with high trait externalizing while stronger activation in cingulate motor areas and sensorimotor precuneus was found for met/met individuals with low externalizing. Our results suggest that the val/val genotype, coupled with high levels of trait externalizing, lowers the efficiency of stimulus conflict resolution, whereas the met/met genotype, coupled with low levels of externalizing, lowers the efficiency of response selection.
Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
Zarrar
Z
Shehzad
Colin G
CG
DeYoung
Yoona
Y
Kang
Elena L
EL
Grigorenko
Jeremy R
JR
Gray
D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*
D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase