MAO A VNTR polymorphism and variation in human morphology: a VBM study

Neuroreport. 2008 Jul 16;19(11):1107-10. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e3283060ab6.

Abstract

The X-linked monoamine oxidase A (MAO A) gene, coding for an enzyme especially involved in the serotonin catabolism, presents a well-characterized functional polymorphism (long and short variants) in the promoter region that alters the transcriptional activity of the gene and hence the function of the corresponding proteins. Using optimized voxel-based morphometry, we studied the effect of this functional polymorphism on brain morphology in normal individuals. Fifty-nine male healthy individuals (33 MAO A-high and 26 MAO A-low) were investigated. Voxel-based morphometry showed that the carriers of the long variant were significantly associated with loss of grey matter in orbitofrontal cortex, bilaterally. This study reveals pronounced genotype-related structural changes in a specific prefrontal region previously observed to mediate neurofunctional responses in behavioral tasks.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / enzymology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / genetics
  • Catechol O-Methyltransferase / genetics
  • DNA Mutational Analysis / methods
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genetic Variation / genetics
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Minisatellite Repeats / genetics*
  • Monoamine Oxidase / genetics*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Polymorphism, Genetic*
  • Prefrontal Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / enzymology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics

Substances

  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Monoamine Oxidase
  • Catechol O-Methyltransferase