%0 Journal Article
%T Concussion-associated gene variant COMT rs4680 is associated with elite rugby athlete status
%J Clinical journal of sport medicine
%D 2022
%A Antrobus, Mark R.
%A Brazier, Jon
%A Callus, Peter
%A Herbert, Adam J.
%A Stebbings, Georgina K.
%A Day, Stephen H.
%A Kilduff, Liam P.
%A Bennett, Mark A.
%A Erskine, Robert M.
%A Raleigh, Stuart M.
%A Collins, Malcolm
%A Pitsiladis, Yannis P.
%A Heffernan, Shane M.
%A Williams, Alun G.
%V ePub
%N ePub
%P ePub-ePub
%X OBJECTIVE: Concussions are common match injuries in elite rugby, and reports exist of reduced cognitive function and long-term health consequences that can interrupt or end a playing career and produce continued ill health. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between elite rugby status and 8 concussion-associated risk polymorphisms. We hypothesized that concussion-associated risk genotypes and alleles would be underrepresented in elite rugby athletes compared with nonathletes. <br><br>DESIGN: A case-control genetic association study.   SETTING: Institutional (university).   PARTICIPANTS: Elite White male rugby athletes [n = 668, mean (SD) height 1.85 (0.07) m, mass 102 (12) kg, and age 29 (7) years] and 1015 nonathlete White men and women (48% men).   INTERVENTIONS: Genotype was the independent variable, obtained by PCR of genomic DNA using TaqMan probes.   MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Elite athlete status with groups compared using χ2 and odds ratio (OR). <br><br>RESULTS: The COMT rs4680 Met/Met (AA) genotype, Met allele possession, and Met allele frequency were lower in rugby athletes (24.8%, 74.6%, and 49.7%, respectively) than nonathletes (30.2%, 77.6%, and 54.0%; P < 0.05). The Val/Val (GG) genotype was more common in elite rugby athletes than nonathletes (OR 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.86). No other polymorphism was associated with elite athlete status. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Elite rugby athlete status is associated with COMT rs4680 genotype that, acting pleiotropically, could affect stress resilience and behavioral traits during competition, concussion risk, and/or recovery from concussion. Consequently, assessing COMT rs4680 genotype might aid future individualized management of concussion risk among athletes.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
%@ 1050-642X
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030