title: Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism on the relationship between white matter hyperintensity and cognition in healthy people.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  White matter lesions can be easily observed on T2-weighted MR images, and are termed white matter hyperintensities (WMH). Their presence may be correlated with cognitive impairment; however, the relationship between regional WMH volume and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism in healthy populations remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 315 ethnic Chinese adults with a mean age of 54.9 ± 21.8 years (range: 21-89 y) to examine the genetic effect of COMT on regional WMH and the manner in which they interact to affect cognitive function in a healthy adult population. Cognitive tests, structural MRI scans, and genotyping of COMT were conducted for each participant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Negative correlations between the Digit Span Forward (DSF) score and frontal WMH volumes (r = -.123, P = .032, uncorrected) were noted. For the genetic effect of COMT, no significant difference in cognitive performance was observed among 3 genotypic groups. However, differences in WMH volumes over the subcortical region (P = .016, uncorrected), whole brain (P = .047, uncorrected), and a trend over the frontal region (P = .050, uncorrected) were observed among 3 COMT genotypic groups. Met homozygotes and Met/Val heterozygotes exhibited larger WMH volumes in these brain regions than the Val homozygotes. Furthermore, a correlation between the DSF and regional WMH volume was observed only in Met homozygotes. The effect size (cohen's f) revealed a small effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that COMT might modulate WMH volumes and the effects of WMH on cognition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ; Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mu-En
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chu-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan ; Center for Dynamical Biomarkers and Translational Medicine, National Central University, Chungli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Albert C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ; Department of Medical Research and Education, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Chi
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Health Care Group, Taipei Veterans Home, New-Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Heng-Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chen-Jee
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Jay
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tao-Yuan Veterans Hospital, Tao-Yuan County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jin-Fan
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, School of Life Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kun-Hsien
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan ; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan ; Institute of Neuroscience, School of Life Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Po
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan ; School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000201:enzymology; D015870:Gene Expression; D005838:Genotype; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000201:enzymology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: C588010:COMT protein, human; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase