Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Catechol-o-methyl transferase modulates cognition in late life: evidence and implications for cognitive enhancement
Fabio Sambataro1, Maria Pennuto, Robert Christian Wolf
1Brain Center for Motor and Social Cognition, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia@UniPR, Parma, Italy. fabio.sambataro@iit.it
Abstract:
Aging is associated with deficits in several cognitive domains as well as a decline in brain dopamine activity. Catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT), an enzyme involved in the degradation of dopamine, is a critical determinant of the availability of this neurotransmitter in the prefrontal cortex. A functional single nucleotide polymorphism in the COMT gene, Val158Met, modulates the activity of this enzyme and affects cognition and the brain regions underlying this function. The effects of COMT Val158Met polymorphism are magnified in the aging brain. Here, we review the evidence supporting a role of COMT genetic variation in cognitive as well as structural and functional brain changes associated with senescence. We will address the potential modulatory role of genetic and non-genetic factors on the neural and cognitive effects of COMT Val158Met in late life. Furthermore, we will discuss the viability of a COMT-targeted treatment for improving cognitive efficiency in aging.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory
Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is critical for...
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis
Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...

