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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Generalized Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Analysis of Memory Related Connectivity in Individuals at Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: November 14, 2017
Deletion variant of alpha2b-adrenergic receptor gene moderates the effect of COMT val(158)met polymorphism on
Ayana A Gibbs1, Kris H Naudts, Ruben T Azevedo
1Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, United Kingdom. a.gibbs@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Abstract:
The COMT val(158) variant has been associated with impaired cognitive function compared to the met(158) variant yet gene-gene interactions are not well described. In this study we demonstrate an interaction between this COMT polymorphism and a deletion variant of ADRA2B, the gene encoding the alpha2b-adrenergic receptor on episodic memory performance. Specifically, carriage of the ADRA2B deletion abolished the relative memory impairment in homozygous COMT val(158) carriers compared to met(158) carriers.
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