COMT Val158Met Polymorphism, Cardiometabolic Risk, and Nadir CD4 Synergistically Increase Risk of Neurocognitive Impairment in Men Living With HIV

TitleCOMT Val158Met Polymorphism, Cardiometabolic Risk, and Nadir CD4 Synergistically Increase Risk of Neurocognitive Impairment in Men Living With HIV
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsSaloner, R, Marquine, MJ, Sundermann, EE, Hong, S, McCutchan, JA, Ellis, RJ, Heaton, RK, Grant, I, Cherner, M
JournalJournal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
Volume81
Start Page148
Date Published08/2019
KeywordsInternal
Abstract

The Val allele of the Val158Met single-nucleotide polymorphism of the catechol-o-methyltransferase gene (COMT) results in faster metabolism and reduced bioavailability of dopamine (DA). Among persons living with HIV, Val carriers
display neurocognitive deficits relative to Met carriers, presumably due to exacerbation of HIV-related depletion of DA. COMT may also impact neurocognition by modulating cardiometabolic function, which is often dysregulated among persons
living with HIV. We examined the interaction of COMT, cardiometabolic risk, and nadir CD4 on neurocognitive impairment (NCI) among HIV+ men.