Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status

Mark R. Antrobus; Jon Brazier; Peter Callus; Adam J. Herbert; Georgina K. Stebbings; Stephen H. Day; Liam P. Kilduff; Mark A. Bennett; Robert M. Erskine; Stuart M. Raleigh; Malcolm Collins; Yannis P. Pitsiladis; Shane M. Heffernan; Alun G. Williams

doi:10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030

Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status

Mark R. Antrobus^*, Jon Brazier, Peter Callus, Adam J. Herbert, Georgina K. Stebbings, Stephen H. Day, Liam P. Kilduff, Mark A. Bennett, Robert M. Erskine, Stuart M. Raleigh, Malcolm Collins, Yannis P. Pitsiladis, Shane M. Heffernan, Alun G. Williams

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

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).

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.

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	E145-E151
Number of pages	7
Journal	Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine
Volume	33
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030
Publication status	Published - Sept 2023

Scopus Subject Areas

Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

User-Defined Keywords

behavior
brain
concussion
genetics
polymorphism
rugby

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030

Cite this

Antrobus, M. R., Brazier, J., Callus, P., Herbert, A. J., Stebbings, G. K., Day, S. H., Kilduff, L. P., Bennett, M. A., Erskine, R. M., Raleigh, S. M., Collins, M., Pitsiladis, Y. P., Heffernan, S. M., & Williams, A. G. (2023). Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 33(5), E145-E151. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030

@article{ee1be61ba86c4e7fa862dfc75d4f9f33,

title = "Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status",

abstract = "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.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).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.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.",

keywords = "behavior, brain, concussion, genetics, polymorphism, rugby",

author = "Antrobus, {Mark R.} and Jon Brazier and Peter Callus and Herbert, {Adam J.} and Stebbings, {Georgina K.} and Day, {Stephen H.} and Kilduff, {Liam P.} and Bennett, {Mark A.} and Erskine, {Robert M.} and Raleigh, {Stuart M.} and Malcolm Collins and Pitsiladis, {Yannis P.} and Heffernan, {Shane M.} and Williams, {Alun G.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.",

year = "2023",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "E145--E151",

journal = "Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine",

issn = "1050-642X",

publisher = "Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Ltd.",

number = "5",

}

Antrobus, MR, Brazier, J, Callus, P, Herbert, AJ, Stebbings, GK, Day, SH, Kilduff, LP, Bennett, MA, Erskine, RM, Raleigh, SM, Collins, M, Pitsiladis, YP, Heffernan, SM & Williams, AG 2023, 'Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status', Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, vol. 33, no. 5, pp. E145-E151. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030

TY - JOUR

T1 - Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status

AU - Antrobus, Mark R.

AU - Brazier, Jon

AU - Callus, Peter

AU - Herbert, Adam J.

AU - Stebbings, Georgina K.

AU - Day, Stephen H.

AU - Kilduff, Liam P.

AU - Bennett, Mark A.

AU - Erskine, Robert M.

AU - Raleigh, Stuart M.

AU - Collins, Malcolm

AU - Pitsiladis, Yannis P.

AU - Heffernan, Shane M.

AU - Williams, Alun G.

PY - 2023/9

Y1 - 2023/9

N2 - 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.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).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.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.

AB - 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.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).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.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.

KW - behavior

KW - brain

KW - concussion

KW - genetics

KW - polymorphism

KW - rugby

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85169624641&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030

DO - 10.1097/JSM.0000000000001030

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35350037

AN - SCOPUS:85169624641

SN - 1050-642X

VL - 33

SP - E145-E151

JO - Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine

JF - Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine

IS - 5

ER -

Concussion-Associated Gene Variant COMT rs4680 Is Associated With Elite Rugby Athlete Status

Abstract

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