COMT gene – Part of the genetic balance of stress
In the UK, April is Stress Awareness Month! Stress management is all about balance. But did you know your genetics is influencing how sensitive you are to stress? Understanding your COMT genetic variant may help you can able to cope with stress. Are you a ‘warrior’ or a ‘worrier’?
One of the underlying factors contributing to how we react during stressful circumstances is the enzyme Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). The role of COMT is to breakdown certain compounds known as catechols, and in our brain, its crucial role is the breakdown of the neurotransmitter dopamine. This is important as dopamine levels influence our decision-making abilities, and the speed at which dopamine breaks down affects our responses to stressful situations.
A common genetic variant in our COMT gene (which encodes the COMT enzyme) has been associated with the ability to clear dopamine from the brain. Research has found that a specific genetic change (genotype) will cause those people to have a slow-acting COMT enzyme (AA genotype), typically having higher dopamine concentrations at rest than those with typical COMT (GG genotype) function.
Dopamine and Memory
Dopamine is vital for our memory. It is believed that there is an optimal level of dopamine at which it is most efficient, with too much or too little dopamine having adverse effects on working memory. The slow-acting COMT genetic carriers higher dopamine levels are thought to bring them closer to the optimum levels for working memory. The good news is that these individuals show improved performance under normal conditions when tested with IQ tests, puzzles, and games. They can better concentrate, reason, solve problems and foresee consequences during non-pressured scenarios.
It may sound like having the slow-acting COMT is the ideal situation and that those with this variant have won the genetic lottery, but there is a trade-off. Although slow-acting COMT individuals may be sharper thinkers when they are relaxed, this trait can disappear and even reverse its effects when faced with stress.
COMT and stress
As a neurotransmitter, dopamine isn’t only involved in memory. Stressful situations, either physiological or psychological, cause dopamine levels to surge in the brain. This flood of dopamine causes an overload for individuals with the slow-acting COMT enzyme, who can’t remove the dopamine quickly enough. This interferes with their ability to maintain conscious control over decision-making, which can lead to impulsive decisions.
This has led to some COMT genetic profiling categorising us as either being a ‘Warrior’ or a ‘Worrier’. Those with typical-acting enzymes (COMT GG) are Warriors, ready for threatening environments where maximum performance is required. Those with slow-acting enzymes (COMT AA) are Worriers, more capable of strategic planning.
Which COMT gene do you have?
We inherit one COMT gene from each of our parents, so about half of us fall somewhere between these two character traits. This means approximately 25% of people carry Warrior-only genes and 25% of people Worrier-only genes.
Individuals who possess the AG genotype are typically a mix of Warrior and Worriers. They often express qualities of both genotypes and have sound decision-making capabilities at rest and under stress.
Whether we are worriers or warriors by nature, the daily decisions we make have the power to change our destinies, influencing our COMT activity and so cognitive abilities in everyday scenarios. Similarly, our lifestyle decisions can decrease our daily stress levels and increase our cognitive abilities, for example, eating the right foods, exercising and mindfulness.
In conclusion, knowing your COMT status can help you understand how you respond to stress as part of your unique stress balance, empowering you to manage this more effectively.
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