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  • Title: The flexible mind is associated with the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism: evidence for a role of dopamine in the control of task-switching.
    Author: Colzato LS, Waszak F, Nieuwenhuis S, Posthuma D, Hommel B.
    Journal: Neuropsychologia; 2010 Jul; 48(9):2764-8. PubMed ID: 20434465.
    Abstract:
    Genetic variability related to the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene (Val158Met polymorphism) has received increasing attention as a possible modulator of cognitive control functions. Recent evidence suggests that the Val158Met genotype may differentially affect cognitive stability and flexibility, in such a way that Val/Val homozygous individuals (who possess low prefrontal dopamine levels) may show more pronounced cognitive flexibility than Met/-carriers (who possess high prefrontal dopamine levels). To test this, healthy humans (n=87), genotyped for the Val158Met polymorphism at the COMT gene, performed a task-switching paradigm, which provides a relatively diagnostic index of cognitive flexibility. As predicted, Met/-carriers showed larger switching costs (i.e., less cognitive flexibility), F(1,85)=4.28, p<0.05, than Val/Val homozygous individuals. Our findings support the idea that low prefrontal dopamine levels promote cognitive flexibility.
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