title: Investigating the relationship between COMT polymorphisms and working memory performance among childhood brain tumor survivors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Survivors of childhood brain tumors are at increased risk for neurocognitive impairments, including deficits in abilities supported by frontal brain regions. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes dopamine in the prefrontal cortex, with the Met allele resulting in greater dopamine availability and better performance on frontally mediated tasks compared to the Val allele. Given the importance of identifying resiliency factors against the emergence of cognitive late effects, the current study examined the relationship between COMT genotype and working memory performance among childhood brain tumor survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children treated for a brain tumor with conformal radiation therapy (N = 50; mean age at irradiation = 7.41 ± 3.41; mean age at assessment = 13.18 ± 2.88) were administered two computerized measures of working memory (self-ordered search verbal and object tasks). Buccal (cheek) swabs were used to provide tissue from which DNA was extracted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings revealed an association between COMT genotype and performance on the self-ordered verbal (P = 0.03) but not object task (P = 0.33). Better performance was found for the Met/Val group compared to either Met/Met or Val/Val.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COMT may indicate a potential resiliency factor against neurocognitive effects of cancer and its treatment; however, there is a need for replication with larger samples of childhood brain tumor survivors.
authors: Department of Neuropsychology, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Robyn A
authors: RA
authors: Howarth
authors: Amanda M
authors: AM
authors: Adamson
authors: Jason M
authors: JM
authors: Ashford
authors: Thomas E
authors: TE
authors: Merchant
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Ogg
authors: Stefan E
authors: SE
authors: Schulenberg
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Ogg
authors: Jiang
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Shengjie
authors: S
authors: Wu
authors: Xiaoping
authors: X
authors: Xiong
authors: Heather M
authors: HM
authors: Conklin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017741:Survivors
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase
keywords: cancer; dopamine; genetics; late effects; prefrontal cortex; working memory
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