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Influence of the COMT val(108/158)met polymorphism on continuous performance task indices
Yunsoo Park1, Irwin D Waldman1
1Emory University, Department of Psychology, Atlanta, GA, United States.
Neuropsychologia
|June 20, 2014
Summary
The COMT gene polymorphism influences performance variability on the Continuous Performance Task (CPT), a measure of attention. This effect is more pronounced in children with higher externalizing psychopathology.
Area of Science:
- Neurogenetics
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychiatric Genetics
Background:
- The Continuous Performance Task (CPT) assesses sustained attention and impulsivity, with deficits linked to ADHD and schizophrenia.
- Existing molecular genetic studies on CPT performance show inconsistent results.
- The COMT val(108/158)met polymorphism is a candidate gene for cognitive functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the COMT val(108/158)met polymorphism and specific indices of the AX-CPT.
- To examine the relationship between COMT genotype and the variability of AX-CPT performance across blocks.
- To explore the moderating role of externalizing psychopathology on COMT effects on CPT performance.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 380 clinic-referred and non-referred children.
- Administered the AX-CPT to assess omission errors, commission errors, d', and lnβ.
- Genotyped the COMT val(108/158)met polymorphism and assessed externalizing psychopathology.
Main Results:
- Significant associations were found between COMT genotype and variability in Signal Detection Theory (SDT) indices (d' and lnβ) across blocks.
- A statistical trend indicated an association between COMT genotype and commission errors.
- Higher externalizing psychopathology was linked to poorer AX-CPT performance, with COMT effects amplified at higher psychopathology levels for d' and lnβ variability.
Conclusions:
- The COMT gene plays a role in specific components of CPT performance, particularly performance variability.
- SDT indices, especially those reflecting variability, are valuable for analyzing CPT data.
- The influence of COMT on cognitive performance may be context-dependent, being stronger in individuals with higher levels of externalizing psychopathology.
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