Julia Muellner, Iman Gharrad, Marie-Odile Habert, Aurélie Kas, Jean-Baptiste Martini, Florence Cormier-Dequaire, Khadija Tahiri, Marie Vidailhet, Niklaus Meier, Alexis Brice, Michael Schuepbach, Alain Mallet, Andreas Hartmann, Jean-Christophe Corvol
BACKGROUND: Catecholamine-O-methyl-tranferase (COMT) initiates dopamine degradation. Its activity is mainly determined by a single nucleotide polymorphism in the COMT gene (Val158Met, rs4680) separating high (Val/Val, COMT(HH)), intermediate (Val/Met, COMT(HL)) and low metabolizers (Met/Met, COMT(LL)). We investigated dopaminergic denervation in the striatum in PD patients according to COMT rs4680 genotype. METHODS: Patients with idiopathic PD were assessed for motor severity (UPDRS-III rating scale in OFF-state), dopaminergic denervation using [123I]-FP-CIT SPECT imaging, and genotyped for the COMT rs4680 enzyme...
May 2015: Parkinsonism & related Disorders