A Meta-Analysis for Understanding the Role of the COMT Val158Met Variant in the Susceptibility to Alcoholism

Abstract

The hypothesis of association between 158Met allele of catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) gene and poor dopamine catabolism, dopamine remains prolonged for their half-time in the prefrontal cortex and gets more reward from alcohol than COMT Val158 allele, has generated much interest, research and controversy. Hence, a meta-analysis to explore possible role of COMT Val158Met variant and alcoholism has been performed. Twenty-two case-control data sets containing 3602 alcoholism patients and 5183 healthy subjects genotyped for COMT Val158Met variant has been included and assessed for their association with alcoholism. Meta-analyses were conducted with the use of MetaGenyo web tool. The results of this study confirmed that the COMT Val158Met variant is not contributing to the risk of alcoholism (Dominant model: OR = 1.10 (95% CI = 0.92-1.30), I² = 49%). Subgroup analysis by ethnicity also found no association of this allele with alcoholism risk in both Asian (Dominant model: OR = 1.15 (95% CI = 0.83-1.60), I2 = 43%) and Caucasian (Dominant model: OR = 1.07 (95% CI = 0.87-1.32), I2 = 54%) populations. The meta-analysis results of this study suggest no significant correlation between COMT Val158Met variant and alcoholism.