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Analysis of institutional authors

Ferrera, DAuthorGomez-Esquer, FAuthorPelaez, IAuthorBarjola, PAuthorFernandes-Magalhaes, RAuthorCarpio, AAuthorDe Lahoz, MeAuthorMartin-Buro, McAuthorMercado, FCorresponding Author

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September 27, 2022
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Working memory dysfunction in fibromyalgia is associated with genotypes of the catechol- O-methyltransferase gene: an event-related potential study

Publicated to: EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE. 273 (1): 25-40 - 2023-02-01 273(1), DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01488-4

Authors:

Ferrera, D; Gómez-Esquer, F; Peláez, I; Barjola, P; Fernandes-Magalhaes, R; Carpio, A; De Lahoz, ME; Martín-Buro, MC; Mercado, F
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Affiliations

Rey Juan Carlos Univ, Sch Hlth Sci, Dept Basic Hlth Sci, Emerging Res Grp Anat Mol & Human Dev Bases, Madrid, Spain - Author
Rey Juan Carlos Univ, Sch Hlth Sci, Dept Psychol, Av Atenas S-N, Madrid 28922, Spain - Author

Abstract

Recent findings have associated different COMT genotypes with working memory capacity in patients with fibromyalgia. Although it is thought that the COMT gene may influence neural correlates (P2 and P3 ERP components) underlying working memory impairment in this chronic-pain syndrome, it has not yet been explored. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to investigate the potential effect of the COMT gene in fibromyalgia patients on ERP working memory indices (P2 and P3 components). For this purpose, 102 participants (51 patients and 51 healthy control participants) took part in the experiment. Event-related potentials and behavioral responses were recorded while participants performed a spatial n-back task. Participants had to decide if the stimulus coincided or not in the same location as the one presented one (1-back condition) or two (2-back condition) trials before. Genotypes of the COMT gene were determined through a saliva sample from all participants. Present results significantly showed lower working memory performance (p < 0.05) in patients with fibromyalgia as compared to control participants (higher rate of errors and slower reaction times). At neural level, we found that patients exhibited enhanced frontocentral and parieto-occipital P2 amplitudes compared to control participants (p < 0.05). Interestingly, we also observed that only fibromyalgia patients carrying the Val/Val genotype of the COMT gene showed higher frontocentral P2 amplitudes than control participants (p < 0.05). Current results (behavioral outcomes and P2 amplitudes) confirmed the presence of an alteration in working memory functioning in fibromyalgia. The enhancement of frontocentral P2 could be reflecting that these patients would manifest an inefficient way of activating executive attention processes, in carriers of the Val/Val genotype of COMT. To our knowledge, the present findings are the first linking neural indices of working memory dysfunctions and COMT genotypes in fibromyalgia. Applying a subgroup of patient's strategy based on this genetic marker could be useful to establish more tailored therapeutical approaches.
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Keywords

Catechol o-methyltransferaseCatecholsCognitive dysfunctionComtComt val158met polymorphismErpEvoked potentialsFibromyalgiaGenotypeHumansImpact questionnaireIndividual-differencesMemory, short-termMessenger-rnaMethyltransferasesP2Pain sensitivityPolymorphism, geneticPrefrontal cortexPrincipal-components-analysisTo-noise ratioVal(158)met polymorphismWorking memory

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2023, it was in position 70/280, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Clinical Neurology.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 2.01. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 13, 2025)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 1.57 (source consulted: FECYT Mar 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2026-04-08, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 8
  • Scopus: 8
  • Europe PMC: 3
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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-04-08:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 34 (PlumX).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
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Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Ferrera García, David) and Last Author (Mercado Romero, Francisco).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Mercado Romero, Francisco.

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Awards linked to the item

Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This work was supported by grants PSI2017-85241-R and PID2020-115463RB-I00 from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion of Spain and SAPIENTIA-CM H2019/HUM5705 of the Comunidad de Madrid.
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