title: Modulation of brain structure by catechol-O-methyltransferase Val(158) Met polymorphism in chronic cannabis users.
abstract: Neuroimaging studies have shown that chronic consumption of cannabis may result in alterations in brain morphology. Recent work focusing on the relationship between brain structure and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism suggests that functional COMT variants may affect brain volume in healthy individuals and in schizophrenia patients. We measured the influence of COMT genotype on the volume of four key regions: the prefrontal cortex, neostriatum (caudate-putamen), anterior cingulate cortex and hippocampus-amygdala complex, in chronic early-onset cannabis users and healthy control subjects. We selected 29 chronic cannabis users who began using cannabis before 16 years of age and matched them to 28 healthy volunteers in terms of age, educational level and IQ. Participants were male, Caucasians aged between 18 and 30 years. All were assessed by a structured psychiatric interview (PRISM) to exclude any lifetime Axis-I disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition. COMT genotyping was performed and structural magnetic resonance imaging data was analyzed by voxel-based morphometry. The results showed that the COMT polymorphism influenced the volume of the bilateral ventral caudate nucleus in both groups, but in an opposite direction: more copies of val allele led to lesser volume in chronic cannabis users and more volume in controls. The opposite pattern was found in left amygdala. There were no effects of COMT genotype on volumes of the whole brain or the other selected regions. Our findings support recent reports of neuroanatomical changes associated with cannabis use and, for the first time, reveal that these changes may be influenced by the COMT genotype.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Clinical Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM, Spain; Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Batalla
authors: Carles
authors: C
authors: Soriano-Mas
authors: Marina
authors: M
authors: López-Solà
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Torrens
authors: José A
authors: JA
authors: Crippa
authors: Sagnik
authors: S
authors: Bhattacharyya
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Blanco-Hinojo
authors: Ana B
authors: AB
authors: Fagundo
authors: Ben J
authors: BJ
authors: Harrison
authors: Santiago
authors: S
authors: Nogué
authors: Rafael
authors: R
authors: de la Torre
authors: Magí
authors: M
authors: Farré
authors: Jesús
authors: J
authors: Pujol
authors: Rocío
authors: R
authors: Martín-Santos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000235:genetics*; D008715:Methionine; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D014633:Valine; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008715:Methionine; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D014633:Valine
keywords: COMT; VBM; Val158Met; chronic cannabis users; structural MRI