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Apa Z, Gilsoul J, Dideberg V, Collette F. Association between executive functions and COMT Val108/158Met polymorphism among healthy younger and older adults: A preliminary study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303343. [PMID: 38739620 PMCID: PMC11090336 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Genetic variability in the dopaminergic system could contribute to age-related impairments in executive control. In this study, we examined whether genetic polymorphism for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT Val158Met) is related to performance on updating, shifting and inhibition tasks. METHODS We administered a battery of executive tasks assessing updating, shifting and inhibition functions to 45 older and 55 younger healthy participants, and created composite z-scores associated to each function. Six groups were created based on genetic alleles (Val/Val, Val/Met, Met/Met) derived from the COMT gene and age (younger, older). Age and genotype effects were assessed with t-test and ANOVA (p<0.05). RESULTS A lower performance was observed in the older group for the three executive processes, and more particularly for inhibition. Moreover, older participants homozygous for the Val allele have a lower performance on the inhibition composite in comparison to younger Val/Val. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm presence of executive performance decrease in healthy aging. With regard to genetic effect, older participants seem particularly disadvantaged when they have a lower baseline dopamine level (i.e., Val/Val homozygous) that is magnified by aging, and when the executive measure emphasize the need of stable representations (as in inhibition task requiring to maintain active the instruction to not perform an automated process).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltan Apa
- GIGA-CRC In Vivo Imaging, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
| | - Jessica Gilsoul
- GIGA-CRC In Vivo Imaging, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
| | | | - Fabienne Collette
- GIGA-CRC In Vivo Imaging, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
- Psychology and Neuroscience of Cognition Research Unit, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgique
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2
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Ozkul B, Candemir C, Oguz K, Eroglu-Koc S, Kizilates-Evin G, Ugurlu O, Erdogan Y, Mull DD, Eker MC, Kitis O, Gonul AS. Gradual Loss of Social Group Support during Competition Activates Anterior TPJ and Insula but Deactivates Default Mode Network. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1509. [PMID: 38002470 PMCID: PMC10669722 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13111509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Group forming behaviors are common in many species to overcome environmental challenges. In humans, bonding, trust, group norms, and a shared past increase consolidation of social groups. Being a part of a social group increases resilience to mental stress; conversely, its loss increases vulnerability to depression. However, our knowledge on how social group support affects brain functions is limited. This study observed that default mode network (DMN) activity reduced with the loss of social group support from real-life friends in a challenging social competition. The loss of support induced anterior temporoparietal activity followed by anterior insula and the dorsal attentional network activity. Being a part of a social group and having support provides an environment for high cognitive functioning of the DMN, while the loss of group support acts as a threat signal and activates the anterior temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and insula regions of salience and attentional networks for individual survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Ozkul
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia;
| | - Cemre Candemir
- SoCAT Lab Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey; (C.C.); (S.E.-K.); (Y.E.); (M.C.E.)
- International Computer Institute, Ege University, Izmir 35100, Turkey
| | - Kaya Oguz
- Department of Computer Engineering, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir 35330, Turkey;
| | - Seda Eroglu-Koc
- SoCAT Lab Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey; (C.C.); (S.E.-K.); (Y.E.); (M.C.E.)
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir 35390, Turkey
| | - Gozde Kizilates-Evin
- Neuroimaging Unit, Hulusi Behcet Life Sciences Research Laboratory, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey;
- Department of Neuroscience, Aziz Sancar Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul 34093, Turkey
| | - Onur Ugurlu
- Department of Fundamental Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Izmir Bakircay University, Izmir 35665, Turkey;
| | - Yigit Erdogan
- SoCAT Lab Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey; (C.C.); (S.E.-K.); (Y.E.); (M.C.E.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Health Sciences Institute, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey
| | - Defne Dakota Mull
- SoCAT Lab Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey; (C.C.); (S.E.-K.); (Y.E.); (M.C.E.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Health Sciences Institute, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Cagdas Eker
- SoCAT Lab Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey; (C.C.); (S.E.-K.); (Y.E.); (M.C.E.)
| | - Omer Kitis
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey;
| | - Ali Saffet Gonul
- SoCAT Lab Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35080, Turkey; (C.C.); (S.E.-K.); (Y.E.); (M.C.E.)
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3
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Noroozian M, Kormi-Nouri R, Nyberg L, Persson J. Hippocampal and motor regions contribute to memory benefits after enacted encoding: cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:3080-3097. [PMID: 35802485 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurobiological underpinnings of action-related episodic memory and how enactment contributes to efficient memory encoding are not well understood. We examine whether individual differences in level (n = 338) and 5-year change (n = 248) in the ability to benefit from motor involvement during memory encoding are related to gray matter (GM) volume, white matter (WM) integrity, and dopamine-regulating genes in a population-based cohort (age range = 25-80 years). A latent profile analysis identified 2 groups with similar performance on verbal encoding but with marked differences in the ability to benefit from motor involvement during memory encoding. Impaired ability to benefit from enactment was paired with smaller HC, parahippocampal, and putamen volume along with lower WM microstructure in the fornix. Individuals with reduced ability to benefit from encoding enactment over 5 years were characterized by reduced HC and motor cortex GM volume along with reduced WM microstructure in several WM tracts. Moreover, the proportion of catechol-O-methyltransferase-Val-carriers differed significantly between classes identified from the latent-profile analysis. These results provide converging evidence that individuals with low or declining ability to benefit from motor involvement during memory encoding are characterized by low and reduced GM volume in regions critical for memory and motor functions along with altered WM microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Noroozian
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, South Kargar Str., Tehran 13185/1741, Iran
| | - Reza Kormi-Nouri
- School of Law, Psychology and Social Work, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, Örebro 702 81, Sweden
| | - Lars Nyberg
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Radiology, Umeå University, Universitetstorget 4, Umeå 901 87, Sweden
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Universitetstorget 4, Umeå 901 87, Sweden
- Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Umeå University, Universitetstorget 4, Umeå 901 87, Sweden
| | - Jonas Persson
- School of Law, Psychology and Social Work, Center for Lifespan Developmental Research (LEADER), Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, Örebro 702 81, Sweden
- Aging Research Center (ARC), Stockholm University and Karolinska Institute, Tomtebodavägen 18A, Solna 171 65, Sweden
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4
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Amiel Castro R, Kunovac Kallak T, Sundström Poromaa I, Willebrand M, Lager S, Ehlert U, Skalkidou A. Pregnancy-related hormones and COMT genotype: Associations with maternal working memory. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105361. [PMID: 34333317 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Women experience different degrees of subjective cognitive changes during pregnancy. The exact mechanism underlying these changes is unknown, although endocrine alterations and genetics may be contributing factors. We investigated whether multiple pregnancy-related hormones were associated with working memory function assessed with the Digit Span Test (DST) in late pregnancy. Moreover, we examined whether the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype, previously related to working memory, was an effect modifier in this association. In this population-based panel study, we recorded psychiatric history, medication use, socio-demographic characteristics, and psychological well-being, gathered blood and saliva samples, and administered the DST at gestational weeks 35-39 (N = 216). We conducted multivariate linear regressions with DST as outcome, with different hormones and COMT genotype, adjusting for covariates including maternal age, BMI, education, depressive symptoms, and parity. We repeated these analyses excluding women with elevated depressive symptoms. Higher DST total scores were associated with increased free estradiol concentrations (B = 0.01, p = 0.03; B = 0.01, p = 0.02) in all participants and in participants without depressive symptoms, respectively, whereas DST forward was positively associated with free estradiol only in women without depressive symptoms (B = 0.01, p = 0.04). Lower total testosterone concentrations (B = -0.03, p = 0.01) enhanced DST backward performance in non-depressed women. Maternal higher education was significantly associated with the DST subscales in all participants. No significant differences emerged when considering the COMT genotype. Our results suggest differential associations of free estradiol and total testosterone levels with working memory function in late pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Amiel Castro
- University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Binzmühlestrasse 14/26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Theodora Kunovac Kallak
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Inger Sundström Poromaa
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mimmie Willebrand
- Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience, Akademiska sjukhuset 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Susanne Lager
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Binzmühlestrasse 14/26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
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Juárez-Cedillo T, González-Figueroa E, Martínez-Rodríguez N, Fragosos JM, Garrido-Acosta O, Vargas-Alarcón G. Influence of COMT polymorphism in cognitive performance on dementia in community-dwelling elderly Mexican (SADEM study). Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:1223-1229. [PMID: 33900525 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00740-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
There is an inconsistent finding about the relationship of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) with dementia susceptibility, as well as with cognitive impairment. To substantiate this, we examined COMT genotype effects in certain cognitive domains in dementia. To evaluate the effects of COMT Val158Met on cognitive performance, we used The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive (ADAS-cog) and the Syndrome Kurz Test (SKT). The results show COMT Val/Met, Val/Val genotype polymorphisms had a significant effect on cognition performance (OR = 1.75 (95 %CI 1.22-2.54) and (OR = 2.76 (95 %CI 1.78-4.26), p < 0.001), and with adjustment for all cognitive test scores together, Val/Val (OR = 4.98 (95 % CI 1.47-16.86) and Val/Met (OR = 3.62 (95 % CI 1.37-9.56) had effect. Our study allows us to understand the role of COMT in cognitive performance in dementia, as well as interaction with other known risk factors for this pathology. This data might help in developing new therapeutic targets for cognitive impairment, main symptom of dementia. Other risk genotypes or haplotypes should be evaluated to determine the association with cognitive decline in dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Juárez-Cedillo
- Unidad de Investigación Epidemiológica y en Servicios de Salud Área Envejecimiento, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico.
- Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, Hospital General Regional No 1 Doctor Carlos Mac Gregor Sánchez Navarro. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social , Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Evangelina González-Figueroa
- Unidad de Investigación en Epidemiología Clínica, Hospital General Regional No 1 Doctor Carlos Mac Gregor Sánchez Navarro. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social , Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nancy Martínez-Rodríguez
- Epidemiology, Endocrinology & Nutrition Research Unit, Hospital Infantil de México "Federico Gómez", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jose M Fragosos
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología 'Ignacio Chávez', Mexico City, México
| | - Osvaldo Garrido-Acosta
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gilberto Vargas-Alarcón
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología 'Ignacio Chávez', Mexico City, México
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6
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Fritz M, Rösel F, Dobler H, Streb J, Dudeck M. Childhood Trauma, the Combination of MAO-A and COMT Genetic Polymorphisms and the Joy of Being Aggressive in Forensic Psychiatric Patients. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11081008. [PMID: 34439627 PMCID: PMC8392391 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggression and violent offenses are common amongst forensic psychiatric patients. Notably, research distinguishes two motivationally distinct dimension of aggression–instrumental and reactive aggression. Instrumental aggression comprises of appetitive, goal-directed aggressive acts, whereas reactive aggression consists of affective, defensive violence with both their biological basis remaining largely unknown. Childhood trauma and functional genetic polymorphisms in catecholamines converting enzymes, such as mono-amino-oxidase A (MAO-A) and catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) have been suggested to augment an aggressive behavioral response in adulthood. However, it warrants clarification if these factors influence one or both types of aggression. Furthermore, it remains elusive, if having a combination of unfavorable enzyme genotypes and childhood maltreatment further increases violent behavior. Hence, we set out to address these questions in the current study. First, analysis revealed an overall marginally increased frequency of the unfavorable MAO-A genotype in the test population. Second, each gene polymorphisms together with a traumatic childhood significantly increased the AFAS (Appetitive and Facilitative Aggression Scale) scores for both reactive and appetitive aggression. Third, having a combination of both disadvantageous genotypes and a negative childhood served as a minor positive predictor for increased reactive aggression, but had a strong influence on the joy of being aggressive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fritz
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-8221-96-2876; Fax: +49-8221-9628136
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Mahedy L, Suddell S, Skirrow C, Fernandes GS, Field M, Heron J, Hickman M, Wootton R, Munafò MR. Alcohol use and cognitive functioning in young adults: improving causal inference. Addiction 2021; 116:292-302. [PMID: 32335969 DOI: 10.1111/add.15100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS There have been few longitudinal studies of association between alcohol use and cognitive functioning in young people. We aimed to examine whether alcohol use is a causal risk factor for deficient cognitive functioning in young adults. DESIGN Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between longitudinal latent class patterns of binge drinking and subsequent cognitive functioning. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) tested evidence for the causal relationship between alcohol use and cognitive functioning. SETTING South West England. PARTICIPANTS The observational study included 3155 adolescents and their parents (fully adjusted models) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Genetic instruments for alcohol use were based on almost 1 000 000 individuals from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and Sequencing Consortium of Alcohol and Nicotine use (GSCAN). Genome-wide association studies for cognitive outcomes were based on 2500 individuals from ALSPAC. MEASUREMENTS Binge drinking was assessed at approximately 16, 17, 18, 21 and 23 years. Cognitive functioning comprised working memory, response inhibition and emotion recognition assessed at 24 years of age. Ninety-nine independent genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with 'number of drinks per week' were used as the genetic instrument for alcohol consumption. Potential confounders were included in the observational analyses. FINDINGS Four binge drinking classes were identified: 'low-risk' (41.3%), 'early-onset monthly' (19.1%), 'adult frequent' (22.5%) and 'early-onset frequent' (17.0%). The association between early-onset frequent binge drinking and cognitive functioning: working memory (b = -0.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.24 to 0.41), response inhibition (b = 31.9, 95% CI = -25.3 to 89.2), and emotion recognition (b = 0.02, 95% CI = -0.07 to 0.10) in comparison to low-risk drinkers were inconclusive as to whether a difference was present. Two-sample MR analyses similarly provided little evidence that alcohol use is associated with deficits in working memory using the inverse variance weight (b = 0.29, 95% CI = -0.42 to 0.99), response inhibition (b = -0.32, 95% CI = -1.04 to 0.39) and emotion recognition (b = 0.03, 95% CI = -0.55 to 0.61). CONCLUSIONS Binge drinking in adolescence and early adulthood may not be causally related to deficiencies in working memory, response inhibition or emotion recognition in youths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Mahedy
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Steph Suddell
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Caroline Skirrow
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,Cambridge Cognition, Cambridge, UK
| | - Gwen S Fernandes
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Matt Field
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jon Heron
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Matthew Hickman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Robyn Wootton
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Zareyan S, Zhang H, Wang J, Song W, Hampson E, Abbott D, Diamond A. First Demonstration of Double Dissociation between COMT-Met158 and COMT-Val158 Cognitive Performance When Stressed and When Calmer. Cereb Cortex 2020; 31:1411-1426. [PMID: 33124661 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
We present here the first evidence of the much-predicted double dissociation between the effect of stress on cognitive skills [executive functions (EFs)] dependent on prefrontal cortex (PFC) by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype. The COMT gene polymorphism with methionine (Met) at codon 158 results in more dopamine (DA) in PFC and generally better EFs, while with valine (Val) at codon 158 the result is less PFC DA and generally poorer EFs. Many have predicted that mild stress, by raising PFC DA levels should aid EFs of COMT-Vals (bringing their PFC DA levels up, closer to optimal) and impair EFs of COMT-Mets (raising their PFC DA levels past optimal). We tested 140 men and women in a within-subject crossover design using extremely mild social evaluative stress. On trials requiring EFs (incongruent trials) of the Flanker/Reverse Flanker task, COMT-Val158 homozygotes performed better when mildly stressed than when calmer, while COMT-Met158 carriers performed worse when mildly stressed. Two other teams previously tried to obtain this, but only found stress impairing EFs of COMT-Mets, not improving EFs of COMT-Vals. Perhaps we found both because we used a much milder stressor. Evidently, the bandwidth for stress having a facilitative effect on EFs is exceedingly narrow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahab Zareyan
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Haolu Zhang
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Juelu Wang
- Basic Neurosciences Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Weihong Song
- Basic Neurosciences Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Hampson
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
| | - David Abbott
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Adele Diamond
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada
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Wu S, Upadhyay N, Lu J, Jiang X, Li S, Qing Z, Wang J, Liang X, Zhang X, Zhang B. Interaction of Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val 158 Met polymorphism and sex influences association of parietal intrinsic functional connectivity and immediate verbal memory. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01784. [PMID: 32772512 PMCID: PMC7559624 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sex differences modulate catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype effect at a synaptic dopamine level, which influences brain function as well as cognitive performance. In this study, we investigated how COMT Val158 Met polymorphism and sex affect intrinsic functional connectivity and memory. METHODS Intrinsic functional networks were extracted using independent component analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 186 healthy young COMT-genotyped participants. The association of these functional networks and memory function was tested to investigate whether the effect of COMT × sex interaction influences the association of intrinsic functional connectivity and memory performance. Quadratic curve fit estimation was used to examine the relationship between functional connectivity and speculative dopamine level among groups. RESULTS COMT MM/MV carriers, relative to VV carriers, showed increased functional connectivity in left superior parietal lobule and right inferior frontal gyrus. Further, male MM/MV carriers showed significant higher mean functional connectivity in left inferior parietal lobule relative to male VV carriers and female MM/MV carriers, which was associated with worse immediate verbal recall performance. Additionally, the relationship between inferior parietal lobule functional connectivity and speculative dopamine level among groups fits the quadratic curve. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the interaction of COMT genotype and sex might regulate synaptic dopaminergic concentrations and influence the association of intrinsic functional connectivity and immediate verbal memory in left inferior parietal lobule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sichu Wu
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Neeraj Upadhyay
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Jiaming Lu
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xueyan Jiang
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Shumei Li
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Zhao Qing
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Junxia Wang
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xue Liang
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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10
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Yao NJ, Hsieh WS, Lin CH, Tseng CI, Lin WY, Kuo PH, Yu YT, Chen WJ, Jeng SF. Interaction Between Prematurity and the MAOA Gene on Mental Development in Children: A Longitudinal View. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:92. [PMID: 32211356 PMCID: PMC7075243 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the association of dopamine-related genes with mental and motor development and the gene-environment interaction in preterm and term children. A total of 201 preterm and 111 term children were examined for their development at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months and were genotyped for 15 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in dopamine-related genes (DRD2, DRD3, DAT1, COMT, and MAOA). An independent sample of 256 preterm children was used for replication. Since the developmental age trends of preterm children differed from those of term children, the analyses were stratified by prematurity. Among the 8 SNPs on the MAOA gene examined in the whole learning sample, the results of linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that they were located in one block (all D' > 0.9), and rs2239448 was chosen as the tag (r2 > 0.85). In the analysis of individual SNPs in each dopamine-related gene, the tag SNP (rs2239448) in MAOA remained significantly associated with the mental scores of preterm children for the interaction with age trend (p < 0.0001; largest effect size of 0.65 at 24 months) after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. Similar findings for rs2239448 were replicated in the independent sample (p = 0.026). However, none of the SNPs were associated with the motor scores of preterm children, and none were related to the mental or motor scores of term children. The genetic variants of the MAOA gene exert influence on mental development throughout early childhood for preterm, but not term, children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nai-Jia Yao
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wu-Shiun Hsieh
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chyi-Her Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ing Tseng
- Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Yu Lin
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Hsiu Kuo
- Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Research Center for Genes, Environment and Human Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Ting Yu
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei J Chen
- Centers of Genomic and Precision Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Suh-Fang Jeng
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Physical Therapy Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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11
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Perini I, Gustafsson PA, Hamilton JP, Kämpe R, Mayo LM, Heilig M, Zetterqvist M. Brain-based Classification of Negative Social Bias in Adolescents With Nonsuicidal Self-injury: Findings From Simulated Online Social Interaction. EClinicalMedicine 2019; 13:81-90. [PMID: 31517265 PMCID: PMC6733998 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2019.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interpersonal stress and perceived rejection have been clinically observed as common triggers of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), with self-injury behavior regulating both affective and social experiences. We investigated whether the subjective interpretation of social interaction in a simulated online environment might be biased in the NSSI group, and the brain mechanisms underlying the experience. METHODS Thirty female adolescent patients with NSSI and thirty female age-matched controls were investigated in this case-control study. In our novel task that simulates interaction on current social media platforms, participants indicated whether they liked or disliked pictures of other players during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. Participants also viewed positive and negative feedback directed toward them by others. The task also assessed the subjective effects of the social interaction. Finally, subjects underwent a separate facial electromyography session, which measured facial expressions processing. OUTCOMES Behaviorally, the NSSI group showed a negative bias in processing social feedback from others. A multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) identified brain regions that robustly classified NSSI subjects and controls. Regions in which mutual activity contributed to the classification included dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, a region implicated in mood control. In the NSSI group, multi-voxel classification scores correlated with behavioral sensitivity to negative feedback from others. Results remained significant after controlling for medication, symptoms of depression, and symptoms of borderline personality disorder. INTERPRETATION This study identified behavioral and neural signatures of adolescents with NSSI during social interaction in a simulated social media environment. These findings highlight the importance of understanding social information processing in this clinical population and can potentially advance treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Perini
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Corresponding author.
| | - Per A. Gustafsson
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Region Östergötland, 581 85 Linköping, Sweden
| | - J. Paul Hamilton
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - R. Kämpe
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Leah M. Mayo
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry, Region Östergötland, 581 85 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria Zetterqvist
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Region Östergötland, 581 85 Linköping, Sweden
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12
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Lovallo WR, Cohoon AJ, Sorocco KH, Vincent AS, Acheson A, Hodgkinson CA, Goldman D. Early-Life Adversity and Blunted Stress Reactivity as Predictors of Alcohol and Drug use in Persons With COMT (rs4680) Val158Met Genotypes. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1519-1527. [PMID: 31150143 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Risk for alcoholism may be enhanced by exposure to early-life adversity (ELA) in persons with genetic vulnerabilities. We examined ELA in the presence of a common variant of the gene for the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT, Val158Met, rs4680) in relation to cortisol reactivity, the onset of early drinking, and experimentation with drugs. METHODS Saliva cortisol reactivity to speech and mental arithmetic stress was measured in 480 healthy young adults (23.5 years of age, 50% females) who experienced either 0, 1, or ≥ 2 forms of ELA during childhood and adolescence, provided information on use of alcohol and recreational drugs, and were genotyped for the Val158Met polymorphism. RESULTS ELA led to progressively smaller cortisol responses in the Met/Met and Val/Met allele groups but to progressively larger responses in Val homozygotes, F = 3.29, p = 0.011. ELA independently predicted earlier age at first drink, F = 14.2, p < 0.0001, with a larger effect in Met-allele carriers, F = 13.95, p < 0.00001, and a smaller effect in Val homozygotes, F = 4.14, p = 0.02. Similar effects were seen in recreational drug use. Cortisol reactivity was unrelated to drinking behavior or drug experimentation. CONCLUSIONS ELA leads to blunted stress reactivity and, independently, contributes to potentially risky drinking and drug-use behaviors in persons carrying 1 or 2 copies of the COMT 158Met allele. The results reinforce the impact of early experience on the stress axis and on risky behaviors, and they point to the 158Met allele as conveying a vulnerability to the early environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R Lovallo
- VA Medical Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Andrew J Cohoon
- VA Medical Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Kristen H Sorocco
- VA Medical Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.,Donald W. Reynolds Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
| | - Andrea S Vincent
- Cognitive Science Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
| | - Ashley Acheson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - Colin A Hodgkinson
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - David Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
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13
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Porter T, Burnham SC, Milicic L, Savage G, Maruff P, Sohrabi HR, Peretti M, Lim YY, Weinborn M, Ames D, Masters CL, Martins RN, Rainey-Smith S, Rowe CC, Salvado O, Groth D, Verdile G, Villemagne VL, Laws SM. COMT val158met is not associated with Aβ-amyloid and APOE ε4 related cognitive decline in cognitively normal older adults. IBRO Rep 2019; 6:147-152. [PMID: 31080907 PMCID: PMC6506436 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibror.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), Val158Met within the Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has been associated with altered levels of cognition and memory performance in cognitively normal adults. This study aimed to investigate the independent and interactional effects of COMT Val158Met on cognitive performance. In particular, it was hypothesised that COMT Val158Met would modify the effect of neocortical Aβ-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation and carriage of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele on cognition in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). In 598 cognitively normal older adults with known neocortical Aβ levels, linear mixed modelling revealed no significant independent or interactional associations between COMT Val158Met and cognitive decline. These findings do not support previous associations between COMT Val158Met and cognitive performance and suggest this variant does not influence Aβ-amyloid or APOE ε4 driven cognitive decline in a well characterised cohort of cognitively normal older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tenielle Porter
- Collaborative Genomics Group, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, Australia
| | - Samantha C Burnham
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.,Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Lidija Milicic
- Collaborative Genomics Group, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, Australia
| | - Greg Savage
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, North Ryde 2113, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul Maruff
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.,CogState Ltd., Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hamid R Sohrabi
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Madeline Peretti
- Collaborative Genomics Group, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, Australia
| | - Yen Ying Lim
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Weinborn
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David Ames
- Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, St. Vincent's Health, The University of Melbourne, Kew 3101, Victoria, Australia.,National Ageing Research Institute, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Colin L Masters
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ralph N Martins
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Stephanie Rainey-Smith
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Christopher C Rowe
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for PET, Austin Health, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olivier Salvado
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity/Australian e-Health Research Centre, Herston 4029, Queensland, Australia
| | - David Groth
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Giuseppe Verdile
- Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Victor L Villemagne
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for PET, Austin Health, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simon M Laws
- Collaborative Genomics Group, Centre of Excellence for Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup 6027, Western Australia, Australia.,Cooperative Research Centre for Mental Health, Australia.,School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Western Australia, Australia
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14
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Mahedy L, Field M, Gage S, Hammerton G, Heron J, Hickman M, Munafò MR. Alcohol Use in Adolescence and Later Working Memory: Findings From a Large Population-Based Birth Cohort. Alcohol Alcohol 2018; 53:251-258. [PMID: 29329371 PMCID: PMC5913665 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agx113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims The study aimed to examine the association between adolescent alcohol use and working memory (WM) using a large population sample. Methods Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children were used to investigate the association between alcohol use at age 15 years and WM 3 years later, assessed using the N-back task (N ~ 3300). A three-category ordinal variable captured mutually exclusive alcohol groupings ranging in order of severity (i.e. low alcohol users, frequent drinkers and frequent/binge drinkers). Differential dropout was accounted for using multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting. Adjustment was made for potential confounders. Results There was evidence of an association between frequent/binge drinking (compared to the low alcohol group) and poorer performance on the 3-back task after adjusting for sociodemographic confounding variables, WM at age 11 years, and experience of a head injury/unconsciousness before age 11 years (β = −0.23, 95% CI = −0.37 to −0.09, P = 0.001). However, this association was attenuated (β = −0.12, 95% CI = −0.27 to 0.03, P = 0.11) when further adjusted for baseline measures of weekly cigarette tobacco and cannabis use. Weaker associations were found for the less demanding 2-back task. We found no evidence to suggest frequent drinking was associated with performance on either task. Conclusions We found weak evidence of an association between sustained heavy alcohol use in mid-adolescence and impaired WM 3 years later. Although we cannot fully rule out the possibility of reverse causation, several potential confounding variables were included to address the directionality of the relationship between WM and alcohol use problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Mahedy
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Matt Field
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Bedford Street South, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK.,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Suzanne Gage
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Bedford Street South, Liverpool L69 7ZA, UK
| | - Gemma Hammerton
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Jon Heron
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Matt Hickman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
| | - Marcus R Munafò
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Priory Road, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK.,MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), University of Bristol, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.,UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Priory Road, Bristol BS8 ITU, UK
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15
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Mamiya PC, Richards TL, Kuhl PK. Right Forceps Minor and Anterior Thalamic Radiation Predict Executive Function Skills in Young Bilingual Adults. Front Psychol 2018; 9:118. [PMID: 29479331 PMCID: PMC5811666 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) skills enhance learning across domains, and are particularly linked to the acquisition of a second language. Previous studies have shown that bilingual individuals show enhanced EF skills in cognitive tasks where they attended a targeted dimension of a stimulus while inhibiting other competing cues. Brain imaging revealed that bilingual young adults’ performances in the Stroop color-naming task were related to the volume of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and inferior frontal lobe. Subjects who had greater white-matter in the frontal cortex showed enhanced performances in the same task, suggesting that brain fiber pathways connecting ACC to the frontal region may be related to the Stroop color-naming task. No studies to date have examined the tissue properties of brain fiber pathways connecting these brain regions and their association with subjects’ EF performances. Importantly, there are no data establishing whether bilingual subjects exhibit different reaction times when words are presented in their first versus second language. To study these questions, we used behavioral and unbiased whole-brain analyses, recruiting 21 Chinese students. Using the Stroop color-naming task, we measured subjects’ reaction times (RTs) in which color names were displayed using fonts that matched the named color (congruent task) or mismatched the color (incongruent task). Students performed the task twice, first in English, the subjects’ second language, then in Chinese, the subjects’ primary language. Results from whole-brain analysis showed that students’ RTs in both the English and Chinese tasks were significantly correlated with the mode of anisotropy (MO) in a brain cluster containing the forceps minor and anterior thalamic radiation in the right hemisphere. We also found that fractional anisotropy (FA) significantly predicted students’ RTs, with higher FA predicting shorter RT. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that right forceps minor and anterior thalamic radiation predict EF skills, suggesting that this brain feature may be important for young bilingual adults using their first and second languages to direct their attention when conflicting cues are present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping C Mamiya
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Todd L Richards
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Patricia K Kuhl
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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16
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Valentine G, Sofuoglu M. Cognitive Effects of Nicotine: Recent Progress. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:403-414. [PMID: 29110618 PMCID: PMC6018192 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666171103152136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 06/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking is the main cause of preventable death in developed countries. While the direct positive behavioral reinforcing effect of nicotine has historically been considered the primary mechanism driving the development of TUD, accumulating contemporary research suggests that the cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine may also significantly contribute to the initiation and maintenance of TUD, especially in individuals with pre-existing cognitive deficits. METHODS We provide a selective overview of recent advances in understanding nicotine's effects on cognitive function, a discussion of the role of cognitive function in vulnerability to TUD, followed by an overview of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the cognitive effects of nicotine. RESULTS Preclinical models and human studies have demonstrated that nicotine has cognitiveenhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine's effects. Recent studies have demonstrated that the α4, β2, and α7 subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) participate in the cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine. Imaging studies have been instrumental in identifying brain regions where nicotine is active, and research on the dynamics of large-scale networks after activation by, or withdrawal from, nicotine hold promise for improved understanding of the complex actions of nicotine on human cognition. CONCLUSION Because poor cognitive performance at baseline predicts relapse among smokers who are attempting to quit smoking, studies examining the potential efficacy of cognitive-enhancement as strategy for the treatment of TUD may lead to the development of more efficacious interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mehmet Sofuoglu
- Address correspondence to this author at the Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Tel: 1 203 737 4882; Fax: 1 203 737 3591; E-mail:
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17
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El-Hage W, Cléry H, Andersson F, Filipiak I, Thiebaut de Schotten M, Gohier B, Surguladze S. Sex-specific effects of COMT Val158Met polymorphism on corpus callosum structure: A whole-brain diffusion-weighted imaging study. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00786. [PMID: 28948081 PMCID: PMC5607550 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic polymorphisms play a significant role in determining brain morphology, including white matter structure and may thus influence the development of brain functions. The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) gene on white matter connectivity in healthy adults. METHODS We used a whole-brain diffusion-weighted imaging method with Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) analysis to examine white matter structural integrity in intrinsic brain networks on a sample of healthy subjects (N = 82). RESULTS Results revealed a sex-specific effect of COMT on corpus callosum (CC): in males only, Val homozygotes had significantly higher fractional anisotropy (FA) compared to Met-carriers. Volume-of-interest analysis showed a genotype by sex interaction on FA in genu and rostral midbody of CC, whereby Val males demonstrated higher FA than Met females. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the key effect of genes by sex interaction, rather than their individual contribution, on the corpus callosum anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wissam El-Hage
- Université François-Rabelais de ToursInserm UMR U930 'Imagerie et Cerveau' Tours France.,Clinique Psychiatrique Universitaire CHRU de Tours Tours France.,Inserm 1415 Centre d'Investigation Clinique CHRU de Tours Tours France
| | - Helen Cléry
- Université François-Rabelais de ToursInserm UMR U930 'Imagerie et Cerveau' Tours France
| | - Frederic Andersson
- Université François-Rabelais de ToursInserm UMR U930 'Imagerie et Cerveau' Tours France
| | - Isabelle Filipiak
- Université François-Rabelais de ToursInserm UMR U930 'Imagerie et Cerveau' Tours France
| | - Michel Thiebaut de Schotten
- Inserm U1127 UPMC-Paris6 UMR-S 975 CNRS UMR 7225 Brain and Spine Institute Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpetrière Paris France.,Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Group Frontlab, Brain and Spine Institute Paris France
| | | | - Simon Surguladze
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience King's College London London UK.,Social & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory Ilia State University Tbilisi Georgia
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18
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Miskowiak KW, Kjaerstad HL, Støttrup MM, Svendsen AM, Demant KM, Hoeffding LK, Werge TM, Burdick KE, Domschke K, Carvalho AF, Vieta E, Vinberg M, Kessing LV, Siebner HR, Macoveanu J. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met genotype modulates working memory-related dorsolateral prefrontal response and performance in bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2017; 19:214-224. [PMID: 28544426 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.12497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cognitive dysfunction affects a substantial proportion of patients with bipolar disorder (BD), and genetic-imaging paradigms may aid in the elucidation of mechanisms implicated in this symptomatic domain. The Val allele of the functional Val158Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is associated with reduced prefrontal cortex dopamine and exaggerated working memory-related prefrontal activity. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated for the first time whether the COMT Val158Met genotype modulates prefrontal activity during spatial working memory in BD. METHODS Sixty-four outpatients with BD in full or partial remission were stratified according to COMT Val158Met genotype (ValVal [n=13], ValMet [n=34], and MetMet [n=17]). The patients completed a spatial n-back working memory task during fMRI and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) Spatial Working Memory test outside the scanner. RESULTS During high working memory load (2-back vs 1-back), Val homozygotes displayed decreased activity relative to ValMet individuals, with Met homozygotes displaying intermediate levels of activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) (P=.016). Exploratory whole-brain analysis revealed a bilateral decrease in working memory-related dlPFC activity in the ValVal group vs the ValMet group which was not associated with differences in working memory performance during fMRI. Outside the MRI scanner, Val carriers performed worse in the CANTAB Spatial Working Memory task than Met homozygotes (P≤.006), with deficits being most pronounced in Val homozygotes. CONCLUSIONS The association between Val allelic load, dlPFC activity and WM impairment points to a putative role of aberrant PFC dopamine tonus in the cognitive impairments in BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- K W Miskowiak
- Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.,Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - H L Kjaerstad
- Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - M M Støttrup
- Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - A M Svendsen
- Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - K M Demant
- Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - L K Hoeffding
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, MHC Sct. Hans, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen, Denmark.,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Copenhagen Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - T M Werge
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, MHC Sct. Hans, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen, Denmark.,The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - K E Burdick
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, NY, USA
| | - K Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - A F Carvalho
- Translational Psychiatry Research Group and Department of Clinical Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | - E Vieta
- Clinical Institute of Neuroscience, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - M Vinberg
- Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - L V Kessing
- Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark
| | - H R Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Denmark
| | - J Macoveanu
- Copenhagen Affective Disorder Research Centre, Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.,Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Bastos P, Gomes T, Ribeiro L. Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT): An Update on Its Role in Cancer, Neurological and Cardiovascular Diseases. Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 2017; 173:1-39. [DOI: 10.1007/112_2017_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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20
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Joint Impact of Early Life Adversity and COMT Val158Met (rs4680) Genotypes on the Adult Cortisol Response to Psychological Stress. Psychosom Med 2017; 79:631-637. [PMID: 28452825 PMCID: PMC5489380 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Exposure to stress during critical periods of development can diminish stress reactivity by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. Genetic characteristics may further modify this effect of early adversity, leading to a gene by environment (G × E) interaction on stress reactivity in adulthood. Val-allele carriers of a common polymorphism of the COMT gene (Val158Met, rs4680) have rapid removal of catecholamines in the prefrontal cortex, limbic system, and reward centers. Carriers of the Val and Met alleles may therefore respond differently to the environment and differ in the long-term impact of exposure to early life adversity (ELA). METHODS We measured saliva cortisol reactivity to public speaking and mental arithmetic stress in 252 healthy young adults exposed to low, medium, and high levels of ELA and who were genotyped for the Val158Met polymorphism. RESULTS Cortisol responses showed a G × E interaction (F(4,243) = 2.78, p = .028); simple effects tests showed that Met/Met carriers had progressively smaller cortisol responses with greater levels of ELA. In comparison, Val/Val homozygotes had blunted responses that did not vary with ELA exposure. CONCLUSIONS Met/Met homozygotes seem sensitive to stressful events in childhood and adolescence, leading to environmental programming of the stress axis. Glucocorticoid responsivity may represent a common pathway revealing targeted genetic vulnerabilities to the long-term effects of early life stress. The results suggest that further G × E studies of ELA are warranted in relation to health behaviors and health outcomes in adulthood.
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21
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Zhong J, Chen X, Wu N, Shen C, Cui H, Du W, Zhang Z, Feng M, Liu J, Lin S, Zhang L, Wang J, Chen X, Duan S. Catechol-O-methyltransferase promoter hypomethylation is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease. Exp Ther Med 2016; 12:3445-3449. [PMID: 27882177 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2016.3757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene variation is known to be associated with the risk of acute coronary events. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the contribution of COMT promoter methylation towards the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). COMT methylation was evaluated in 48 CHD cases and 48 well-matched non-CHD controls using bisulfite pyrosequencing technology. The results demonstrated that CHD cases had a significantly lower level of methylation at COMT CpG3 sites compared with the controls (33.77±5.71 vs. 36.42±5.00%; P=0.018). Further analysis, according to gender, showed that CpG3 methylation was associated with CHD in males (P=0.038) but not in females (P=0.253), suggesting that there is a gender disparity in the association between COMT methylation and CHD. In conclusion, it was determined that COMT CpG3 hypomethylation is associated with an increased risk of CHD in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyan Zhong
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoying Chen
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Caijie Shen
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo Seventh Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315202, P.R. China
| | - Hanbin Cui
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Weiping Du
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoxia Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Mingjun Feng
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Junsong Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Shaoyi Lin
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Lulu Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Xiaomin Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, P.R. China
| | - Shiwei Duan
- Medical Genetics Center, School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, P.R. China
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22
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Rossi R, Zammit S, Button KS, Munafò MR, Lewis G, David AS. Psychotic Experiences and Working Memory: A Population-Based Study Using Signal-Detection Analysis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153148. [PMID: 27120349 PMCID: PMC4847914 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychotic Experiences (PEs) during adolescence index increased risk for psychotic disorders and schizophrenia in adult life. Working memory (WM) deficits are a core feature of these disorders. Our objective was to examine the relationship between PEs and WM in a general population sample of young people in a case control study. 4744 individuals of age 17–18 from Bristol and surrounding areas (UK) were analyzed in a cross-sectional study nested within the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort study. The dependent variable was PEs, assessed using the semi-structured Psychosis-Like Symptom Interview (PLIKSi). The independent variable was performance on a computerized numerical n-back working memory task. Signal-Detection Theory indices, including standardized hits rate, false alarms rate, discriminability index (d’) and response bias (c) from 2-Back and 3-Back tasks were calculated. 3576 and 3527 individuals had complete data for 2-Back and 3-Back respectively. Suspected/definite PEs prevalence was 7.9% (N = 374). Strongest evidence of association was seen between PEs and false alarms on the 2-Back, (odds ratio (OR) = 1.17 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.01, 1.35]) and 3-back (OR = 1.35 [1.18, 1.54]) and with c (OR = 1.59 [1.09, 2.34]), and lower d’ (OR = 0.76 [0.65, 0.89]), on the 3-Back. Adjustment for several potential confounders, including general IQ, drug exposure and different psycho-social factors, and subsequent multiple imputation of missing data did not materially alter the results. WM is impaired in young people with PEs in the general population. False alarms, rather than poor accuracy, are more closely related to PEs. Such impairment is consistent with different neuropsychological models of psychosis focusing on signal-to-noise discrimination, probabilistic reasoning and impaired reality monitoring as a basis of psychotic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Rossi
- Section of Psychiatry, University School of Medicine Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Stanley Zammit
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Marcus R. Munafò
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Glyn Lewis
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony S. David
- Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College, London, United Kingdom
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23
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Persson N, Lavebratt C, Sundström A, Fischer H. Pulse Pressure Magnifies the Effect of COMT Val(158)Met on 15 Years Episodic Memory Trajectories. Front Aging Neurosci 2016; 8:34. [PMID: 26973509 PMCID: PMC4773588 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated whether a physiological marker of cardiovascular health, pulse pressure (PP), and age magnified the effect of the functional COMT Val(158)Met (rs4680) polymorphism on 15-years cognitive trajectories [episodic memory (EM), visuospatial ability, and semantic memory] using data from 1585 non-demented adults from the Betula study. A multiple-group latent growth curve model was specified to gauge individual differences in change, and average trends therein. The allelic variants showed negligible differences across the cognitive markers in average trends. The older portion of the sample selectively age-magnified the effects of Val(158)Met on EM changes, resulting in greater decline in Val compared to homozygote Met carriers. This effect was attenuated by statistical control for PP. Further, PP moderated the effects of COMT on 15-years EM trajectories, resulting in greater decline in Val carriers, even after accounting for the confounding effects of sex, education, cardiovascular diseases (diabetes, stroke, and hypertension), and chronological age, controlled for practice gains. The effect was still present after excluding individuals with a history of cardiovascular diseases. The effects of cognitive change were not moderated by any other covariates. This report underscores the importance of addressing synergistic effects in normal cognitive aging, as the addition thereof may place healthy individuals at greater risk for memory decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ninni Persson
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Catharina Lavebratt
- The Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University HospitalStockholm, Sweden; Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska InstitutetStockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Sundström
- Department of Psychology, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden; Centre for Demographic and Ageing Research, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden
| | - Håkan Fischer
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University Stockholm, Sweden
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24
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Acute effects of cocaine and cannabis on reversal learning as a function of COMT and DRD2 genotype. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:199-211. [PMID: 26572896 PMCID: PMC4700084 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4141-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Long-term cannabis and cocaine use has been associated with impairments in reversal learning. However, how acute cannabis and cocaine administration affect reversal learning in humans is not known. OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to establish the acute effects of administration of cannabis and cocaine on valence-dependent reversal learning as a function of DRD2 Taq1A (rs1800497) and COMT Val108/158Met (rs4680) genotype. METHODS A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized 3-way crossover design was used. Sixty-one regular poly-drug users completed a deterministic reversal learning task under the influence of cocaine, cannabis, and placebo that enabled assessment of both reward- and punishment-based reversal learning. RESULTS Proportion correct on the reversal learning task was increased by cocaine, but decreased by cannabis. Effects of cocaine depended on the DRD2 genotype, as increases in proportion correct were seen only in the A1 carriers, and not in the A2/A2 homozygotes. COMT genotype did not modulate drug-induced effects on reversal learning. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that acute administration of cannabis and cocaine has opposite effects on reversal learning. The effects of cocaine, but not cannabis, depend on interindividual genetic differences in the dopamine D2 receptor gene.
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25
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Bogdan R, Pagliaccio D, Baranger DAA, Hariri AR. Genetic Moderation of Stress Effects on Corticolimbic Circuitry. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:275-96. [PMID: 26189450 PMCID: PMC4677127 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress exposure is associated with individual differences in corticolimbic structure and function that often mirror patterns observed in psychopathology. Gene x environment interaction research suggests that genetic variation moderates the impact of stress on risk for psychopathology. On the basis of these findings, imaging genetics, which attempts to link variability in DNA sequence and structure to neural phenotypes, has begun to incorporate measures of the environment. This research paradigm, known as imaging gene x environment interaction (iGxE), is beginning to contribute to our understanding of the neural mechanisms through which genetic variation and stress increase psychopathology risk. Although awaiting replication, evidence suggests that genetic variation within the canonical neuroendocrine stress hormone system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, contributes to variability in stress-related corticolimbic structure and function, which, in turn, confers risk for psychopathology. For iGxE research to reach its full potential it will have to address many challenges, of which we discuss: (i) small effects, (ii) measuring the environment and neural phenotypes, (iii) the absence of detailed mechanisms, and (iv) incorporating development. By actively addressing these challenges, iGxE research is poised to help identify the neural mechanisms underlying genetic and environmental associations with psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychology, BRAIN Lab, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- Neurosciences Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - David Pagliaccio
- Neurosciences Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - David AA Baranger
- Department of Psychology, BRAIN Lab, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- Neurosciences Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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26
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Ihne JL, Gallagher NM, Sullivan M, Callicott JH, Green AE. Is less really more: Does a prefrontal efficiency genotype actually confer better performance when working memory becomes difficult? Cortex 2015; 74:79-95. [PMID: 26649915 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Revised: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Perhaps the most widely studied effect to emerge from the combination of neuroimaging and human genetics is the association of the COMT-Val(108/158)Met polymorphism with prefrontal activity during working memory. COMT-Val is a putative risk factor in schizophrenia, which is characterized by disordered prefrontal function. Work in healthy populations has sought to characterize mechanisms by which the valine (Val) allele may lead to disadvantaged prefrontal cognition. Lower activity in methionine (Met) carriers has been interpreted as advantageous neural efficiency. Notably, however, studies reporting COMT effects on neural efficiency have generally not reported working memory performance effects. Those studies have employed relatively low/easy working memory loads. Higher loads are known to elicit individual differences in working memory performance that are not visible at lower loads. If COMT-Met confers greater neural efficiency when working memory is easy, a reasonable prediction is that Met carriers will be better able to cope with increasing demand for neural resources when working memory becomes difficult. To our knowledge, this prediction has thus far gone untested. Here, we tested performance on three working memory tasks. Performance on each task was measured at multiple levels of load/difficulty, including loads more demanding than those used in prior studies. We found no genotype-by-load interactions or main effects of COMT genotype on accuracy or reaction time. Indeed, even testing for performance differences at each load of each task failed to find a single significant effect of COMT genotype. Thus, even if COMT genotype has the effects on prefrontal efficiency that prior work has suggested, such effects may not directly impact high-load working memory ability. The present findings accord with previous evidence that behavioral effects of COMT are small or nonexistent and, more broadly, with a growing consensus that substantial effects on phenotype will not emerge from candidate gene studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Ihne
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, United States
| | | | - Marie Sullivan
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, United States
| | - Joseph H Callicott
- Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, United States
| | - Adam E Green
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, United States.
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27
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Possible Association of APOE Genotype with Working Memory in Young Adults. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135894. [PMID: 26287823 PMCID: PMC4545585 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Possession of the ε4 allele of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Early adult life effects of ε4 are less well understood. Working memory has been relatively little studied (compared to episodic memory) in relation to APOE genotype despite its importance in cognitive functioning. Our hypothesis was that ε4 would lead to an impairment in working memory in young adults. METHODS We studied working memory using a computerised n-back task in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) at age 18. Data was available for 1049-1927 participants and for the 2- and 3-back versions of the task. Using multiple and multi-level regression controlling for important confounders we examined the association between APOE genotype on accuracy and reaction times. RESULTS There was no evidence of a genotype effect on accuracy when the two difficulty levels were examined separately. There was some evidence to support a deleterious effect of the ε4 allele on n-back accuracy in the multi-level regression. There was weak evidence that the ε22 group were less accurate but the numbers were very low in this group. The ε34 group had faster reaction times than the reference ε33 group in all adjusted analyses but the ε44 group were only faster in the 3-back condition in multi-level analyses. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence of benefit in ε4 carriers, but there was some evidence of a detrimental effect on working memory in this large study.
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28
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Lancaster TM, Heerey EA, Mantripragada K, Linden DEJ. Replication study implicates COMT val158met polymorphism as a modulator of probabilistic reward learning. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2015; 14:486-92. [PMID: 26096878 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies suggest that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene (val158met) may modulate reward-guided decision making in healthy individuals. The polymorphism affects dopamine catabolism and thus modulates prefrontal dopamine levels, which may lead to variation in individual responses to risk and reward. We previously showed, using tasks that index reward responsiveness (measured by responses bias towards reinforced stimuli) and risk taking (measured by the Balloon Analogue Risk Task), that COMT met homozygotes had increased reward responsiveness and, thus, an increased propensity to seek reward. In this study, we sought to replicate these effects in a larger, independent cohort of Caucasian UK university students and staff with similar demographic characteristics (n = 101; 54 females, mean age: 22.2 years). Similarly to our previous study, we observed a significant trial × COMT genotype interaction (P = 0.047; η(2) = 0.052), which was driven by a significant effect of COMT on the incremental acquisition of response bias [response bias at block 3 - block 1 (met/met > val/val: P = 0.028) and block 3 - block 2 (met/met > val/val: P = 0.007)], suggesting that COMT met homozygotes demonstrated higher levels of reward responsiveness by the end of the task. However, we failed to see main effects of COMT genotype on overall response bias or risk-seeking behaviour. These results provide additional evidence that prefrontal dopaminergic variation may have a role in reward responsiveness, but not risk-seeking behaviour. Our findings may have implications for neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by clinical deficits in reward processing such as anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Lancaster
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - E A Heerey
- School of Psychology, Bangor University, Bangor, UK
| | - K Mantripragada
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics & Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - D E J Linden
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.,MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics & Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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29
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Zhang X, Li J, Qin W, Yu C, Liu B, Jiang T. The catechol-o-methyltransferase Val¹⁵⁸Met polymorphism modulates the intrinsic functional network centrality of the parahippocampal cortex in healthy subjects. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10105. [PMID: 26054510 PMCID: PMC4460568 DOI: 10.1038/srep10105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence of catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met on brain activation and functional connectivity has been widely reported. However, voxel-wise effects of this genotype on resting-state brain networks remain unclear. Here, we used resting-state fMRI and eigenvector centrality to examine the effects of COMT Val158Met genotypes on the connection patterns of the brain network and working memory (WM) in healthy, young Val/Val and Met carrier subjects. There were significant differences in the performance level on the 2-back WM task between the different COMT genotypes: Val/Val individuals exhibited a higher correct rate compared to the Met carriers. A two-sample t test was used to examine the differences in the eigenvector centrality maps, using age and gender as covariates of no interest, between the Val/Val and Met carriers. We found that the Val/Val individuals exhibited significantly higher eigenvector centrality compared to the Met carriers in the left parahippocampal cortex. Furthermore, a significantly positive correlation between the mean eigenvector centrality of the significant cluster and the correct rate of the 2-back WM task was observed. By using a voxel-wise data-driven method, our findings may provide plausible implications regarding individual differences in the genetic contribution of COMT Val158Met to the brain network and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jin Li
- 1] Brainnetome Center [2] National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Wen Qin
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Chunshui Yu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Bing Liu
- 1] Brainnetome Center [2] National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Tianzi Jiang
- 1] Brainnetome Center [2] National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China [3] Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia [4] Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
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30
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Dopamine and cognitive control: Sex-by-genotype interactions influence the capacity to switch attention. Behav Brain Res 2015; 281:96-101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Revised: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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31
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CACNA1C risk variant affects reward responsiveness in healthy individuals. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e461. [PMID: 25290268 PMCID: PMC4350510 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The variant at rs1006737 in the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (alpha 1c subunit) CACNA1C gene is reliably associated with both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. We investigated whether this risk variant affects reward responsiveness because reward processing is one of the central cognitive-motivational domains implicated in both disorders. In a sample of 164 young, healthy individuals, we show a dose-dependent response, where the rs1006737 risk genotype was associated with blunted reward responsiveness, whereas discriminability did not significantly differ between genotype groups. This finding suggests that the CACNA1C risk locus may have a role in neural pathways that facilitate value representation for rewarding stimuli. Impaired reward processing may be a transdiagnostic phenotype of variation in CACNA1C that could contribute to anhedonia and other clinical features common to both affective and psychotic disorders.
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32
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Sex differences in COMT polymorphism effects on prefrontal inhibitory control in adolescence. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:2560-9. [PMID: 24820538 PMCID: PMC4207335 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2013] [Revised: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Catecholamine-0-methyl-transferase (COMT) gene variation effects on prefrontal blood oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) activation are robust; however, despite observations that COMT is estrogenically catabolized, sex differences in its prefrontal repercussions remain unclear. Here, in a large sample of healthy adolescents stratified by sex and Val(158)Met genotype (n=1133), we examine BOLD responses during performance of the stop-signal task in right-hemispheric prefrontal regions fundamental to inhibitory control. A significant sex-by-genotype interaction was observed in pre-SMA during successful-inhibition trials and in both pre-SMA and inferior frontal cortex during failed-inhibition trials with Val homozygotes displaying elevated activation compared with other genotypes in males but not in females. BOLD activation in the same regions significantly mediated the relationship between COMT genotype and inhibitory proficiency as indexed by stop-signal reaction time in males alone. These sexually dimorphic effects of COMT on inhibitory brain activation have important implications for our understanding of the contrasting patterns of prefrontally governed psychopathology observed in males and females.
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Niarchou M, Zammit S, Escott-Price V, Owen MJ, van den Bree MBM. Exploring the indirect effects of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype on psychotic experiences through cognitive function and anxiety disorders in a large birth cohort of children. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2014; 165B:410-20. [PMID: 24862404 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Children reporting psychotic experiences (PEs) are at increased risk of developing psychosis in adulthood. Cognitive deficits and anxiety disorders often precede psychotic disorders and are associated with higher risk of PEs. While the high activity alleles of variants within COMT have been associated with cognitive deficits, and the low activity alleles with higher risk of anxiety disorders, no associations of COMT with PEs have been found. One possible explanation is that the association between COMT and PEs is indirect, through cognitive function and anxiety disorders. We examined whether the association between PEs and COMT (four single nucleotide polymorphisms and three haplotypes) is indirect, through cognition or anxiety disorders. 6,784 individuals from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were genotyped and completed neurocognitive assessments at ages 8 and 11, as well as semi-structured interviews for anxiety disorders and PEs at ages 10 and 12, respectively. Alleles rs2097603 and rs4680, and two COMT haplotypes, all indexing high activity, were indirectly associated with higher risk of PEs through impaired processing speed, IQ and attention. There was no evidence of a total effect of COMT on PEs, nor for an indirect effect through anxiety disorders. This is the first study to examine indirect effects of COMT on PEs. Evidence of an indirect association suggests a complex developmental pathway underlies the emergence of PEs in children, with possible implications for prevention/intervention strategies. Our findings provide additional support for processing speed and attention as endophenotypes in psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Niarchou
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype affects age-related changes in plasticity in working memory: a pilot study. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:414351. [PMID: 24772423 PMCID: PMC3977538 DOI: 10.1155/2014/414351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Objectives. Recent work suggests that a genetic variation associated with increased dopamine metabolism in the prefrontal cortex (catechol-O-methyltransferase Val158Met; COMT) amplifies age-related changes in working memory performance. Research on younger adults indicates that the influence of dopamine-related genetic polymorphisms on working memory performance increases when testing the cognitive limits through training. To date, this has not been studied in older adults. Method. Here we investigate the effect of COMT genotype on plasticity in working memory in a sample of 14 younger (aged 24–30 years) and 25 older (aged 60–75 years) healthy adults. Participants underwent adaptive training in the n-back working memory task over 12 sessions under increasing difficulty conditions. Results. Both younger and older adults exhibited sizeable behavioral plasticity through training (P < .001), which was larger in younger as compared to older adults (P < .001). Age-related differences were qualified by an interaction with COMT genotype (P < .001), and this interaction was due to decreased behavioral plasticity in older adults carrying the Val/Val genotype, while there was no effect of genotype in younger adults. Discussion. Our findings indicate that age-related changes in plasticity in working memory are critically affected by genetic variation in prefrontal dopamine metabolism.
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Howarth RA, Adamson AM, Ashford JM, Merchant TE, Ogg RJ, Schulenberg SE, Ogg S, Li J, Wu S, Xiong X, Conklin HM. Investigating the relationship between COMT polymorphisms and working memory performance among childhood brain tumor survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014; 61:40-5. [PMID: 23956130 PMCID: PMC4101980 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.24649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Survivors of childhood brain tumors are at increased risk for neurocognitive impairments, including deficits in abilities supported by frontal brain regions. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes dopamine in the prefrontal cortex, with the Met allele resulting in greater dopamine availability and better performance on frontally mediated tasks compared to the Val allele. Given the importance of identifying resiliency factors against the emergence of cognitive late effects, the current study examined the relationship between COMT genotype and working memory performance among childhood brain tumor survivors. PROCEDURE Children treated for a brain tumor with conformal radiation therapy (N = 50; mean age at irradiation = 7.41 ± 3.41; mean age at assessment = 13.18 ± 2.88) were administered two computerized measures of working memory (self-ordered search verbal and object tasks). Buccal (cheek) swabs were used to provide tissue from which DNA was extracted. RESULTS Findings revealed an association between COMT genotype and performance on the self-ordered verbal (P = 0.03) but not object task (P = 0.33). Better performance was found for the Met/Val group compared to either Met/Met or Val/Val. CONCLUSIONS COMT may indicate a potential resiliency factor against neurocognitive effects of cancer and its treatment; however, there is a need for replication with larger samples of childhood brain tumor survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amanda M. Adamson
- The Center for Pediatric Neuropsychology, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
| | | | | | - Robert J. Ogg
- Division of Translational Imaging Research, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
| | | | - Susan Ogg
- Department of Epidemiology & Cancer Control, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
| | - Jiang Li
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University
| | - Shengjie Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
| | - Xiaoping Xiong
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
| | - Heather M. Conklin
- Department of Psychology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,Corresponding Author: Heather M. Conklin, Department of Psychology, Mail Stop #740, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105. Telephone: 901-595-3585. Fax: 901-595-4701.
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Ashare RL, Wileyto EP, Ruparel K, Goelz PM, Hopson RD, Valdez JN, Gur RC, Loughead J, Lerman C. Effects of tolcapone on working memory and brain activity in abstinent smokers: a proof-of-concept study. Drug Alcohol Depend 2013; 133:852-6. [PMID: 24095246 PMCID: PMC3960598 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2013] [Revised: 08/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are thought to play an important role in cognitive function and nicotine dependence. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor tolcapone, an FDA-approved treatment for Parkinson's disease, increases prefrontal dopamine levels, with cognitive benefits that may vary by COMT genotype. We tested whether tolcapone alters working memory-related brain activity and performance in abstinent smokers. METHODS In this double-blind crossover study, 20 smokers completed 8 days of treatment with tolcapone and placebo. In both medication periods, smokers completed blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI scans while performing a working memory N-back task after 24h of abstinence. Smokers were genotyped prospectively for the COMT val(158)met polymorphism for exploratory analysis. RESULTS Compared to placebo, tolcapone modestly improved accuracy (p=0.017) and enhanced suppression of activation in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) (p=0.002). There were no effects of medication in other a priori regions of interest (dorsolateral PFC, dorsal cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex, or posterior cingulate cortex). Exploratory analyses suggested that tolcapone led to a decrease in BOLD signal in several regions among smokers with val/val genotypes, but increased or remained unchanged among met allele carriers. Tolcapone did not attenuate craving, mood, or withdrawal symptoms compared to placebo. CONCLUSIONS Data from this proof-of-concept study do not provide strong support for further evaluation of COMT inhibitors as smoking cessation aids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Ashare
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Corresponding author at: Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, 3535 Market Street, Suite 4100, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Tel.: +1 215 746 5789; fax: +1 215 746 7140. (R.L. Ashare)
| | - E. Paul Wileyto
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Patricia M. Goelz
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ryan D. Hopson
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jeffrey N. Valdez
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - James Loughead
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Caryn Lerman
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Ashare RL, Valdez JN, Ruparel K, Albelda B, Hopson RD, Keefe JR, Loughead J, Lerman C. Association of abstinence-induced alterations in working memory function and COMT genotype in smokers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 230:653-62. [PMID: 23828159 PMCID: PMC3840089 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3197-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The common methionine (met) for valine (val) at codon 158 (val(158)met) polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has been associated with nicotine dependence, alterations in executive cognitive function, and abstinence-induced working memory deficits in smokers. OBJECTIVES We sought to replicate the association of the COMT val allele with abstinence-induced alterations in working memory-related activity in task-positive (executive control) and task-negative (default mode network) regions. METHODS Forty smokers (20 val/val and 20 met/met) performed an N-back task while undergoing blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on two separate occasions: following 72 h of confirmed abstinence and during smoking as usual. An independent sample of 48 smokers who completed the identical N-back task during fMRI in smoking vs. abstinence for another study was used as a validation sample. RESULTS Contrary to expectations, genotype by session interactions on BOLD signal in executive control regions (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex) revealed significant abstinence-induced reductions in the met/met group, but not the val/val group. Results also revealed that val/val smokers may exhibit less suppression of activation in task-negative regions such as the posterior cingulate cortex during abstinence (vs. smoking). These patterns were confirmed in the validation sample and in the whole-brain analysis, though the regions differed from the a priori regions of interest (ROIs) (e.g., precuneus, insula). CONCLUSIONS The COMT val(158)met polymorphism was associated with abstinence-related working memory deficits in two independent samples of smokers. However, inconsistencies compared to prior findings and across methods (ROI vs. whole-brain analysis) highlight the challenges inherent in reproducing results of imaging genetic studies in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Ashare
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104,Correspondence: Rebecca L. Ashare, Ph.D., Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, 3535 Market Street, Suite 4100, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA, Tel: +1 (215) 746-5789, Fax: +1 (215) 746-7140,
| | - Jeffrey N. Valdez
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Benjamin Albelda
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ryan D. Hopson
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - John R. Keefe
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - James Loughead
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neuropsychiatry Department, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Caryn Lerman
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
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Lack of association between COMT Val158Met polymorphism and late-onset Alzheimer's disease in Han Chinese. Neurosci Lett 2013; 554:162-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2013] [Revised: 08/29/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Júlio-Costa A, Antunes AM, Lopes-Silva JB, Moreira BC, Vianna GS, Wood G, Carvalho MRS, Haase VG. Count on dopamine: influences of COMT polymorphisms on numerical cognition. Front Psychol 2013; 4:531. [PMID: 23966969 PMCID: PMC3744013 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an enzyme that is particularly important for the metabolism of dopamine. Functional polymorphisms of COMT have been implicated in working memory and numerical cognition. This is an exploratory study that aims at investigating associations between COMT polymorphisms, working memory, and numerical cognition. Elementary school children from 2th to 6th grades were divided into two groups according to their COMT val158met polymorphism [homozygous for valine allele (n = 61) vs. heterozygous plus methionine homozygous children or met+ group (n = 94)]. Both groups were matched for age and intelligence. Working memory was assessed through digit span and Corsi blocks. Symbolic numerical processing was assessed through transcoding and single-digit word problem tasks. Non-symbolic magnitude comparison and estimation tasks were used to assess number sense. Between-group differences were found in symbolic and non-symbolic numerical tasks, but not in working memory tasks. Children in the met+ group showed better performance in all numerical tasks while val homozygous children presented slower development of non-symbolic magnitude representations. These results suggest COMT-related dopaminergic modulation may be related not only to working memory, as found in previous studies, but also to the development of magnitude processing and magnitude representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise Júlio-Costa
- Laboratório de Neuropsicologia do Desenvolvimento, Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, Brazil ; Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Genetic variation in the human brain dopamine system influences motor learning and its modulation by L-Dopa. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61197. [PMID: 23613810 PMCID: PMC3629211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine is important to learning and plasticity. Dopaminergic drugs are the focus of many therapies targeting the motor system, where high inter-individual differences in response are common. The current study examined the hypothesis that genetic variation in the dopamine system is associated with significant differences in motor learning, brain plasticity, and the effects of the dopamine precursor L-Dopa. Skilled motor learning and motor cortex plasticity were assessed using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design in 50 healthy adults during two study weeks, one with placebo and one with L-Dopa. The influence of five polymorphisms with established effects on dopamine neurotransmission was summed using a gene score, with higher scores corresponding to higher dopaminergic neurotransmission. Secondary hypotheses examined each polymorphism individually. While training on placebo, higher gene scores were associated with greater motor learning (p = .03). The effect of L-Dopa on learning varied with the gene score (gene score*drug interaction, p = .008): participants with lower gene scores, and thus lower endogenous dopaminergic neurotransmission, showed the largest learning improvement with L-Dopa relative to placebo (p<.0001), while L-Dopa had a detrimental effect in participants with higher gene scores (p = .01). Motor cortex plasticity, assessed via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), also showed a gene score*drug interaction (p = .02). Individually, DRD2/ANKK1 genotype was significantly associated with motor learning (p = .02) and its modulation by L-Dopa (p<.0001), but not with any TMS measures. However, none of the individual polymorphisms explained the full constellation of findings associated with the gene score. These results suggest that genetic variation in the dopamine system influences learning and its modulation by L-Dopa. A polygene score explains differences in L-Dopa effects on learning and plasticity most robustly, thus identifying distinct biological phenotypes with respect to L-Dopa effects on learning and plasticity. These findings may have clinical applications in post-stroke rehabilitation or the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
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Wardle MC, Hart AB, Palmer AA, de Wit H. Does COMT genotype influence the effects of d-amphetamine on executive functioning? GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2012; 12:13-20. [PMID: 23231539 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2012] [Revised: 11/29/2012] [Accepted: 12/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In a widely cited study, Mattay et al. reported that amphetamine (0.25 mg/kg oral, or 17 mg for a 68 kg individual) impaired behavioral and brain indices of executive functioning, measured using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) and N-Back working memory task, in 6 individuals homozygous for the met allele of the val158met polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene, whereas it improved executive functioning in 10 individuals homozygous for the more active val allele. We attempted to replicate their behavioral findings in a larger sample, using similar executive functioning tasks and a broader range of amphetamine doses. Over four sessions, n = 200 healthy normal adults received oral placebo, d-amphetamine 5, 10, and 20 mg (average of 0.07, 0.15 and 0.29 mg/kg), under counterbalanced double-blind conditions and completed WCST and N-back tests of executive functioning. Amphetamine had typical effects on blood pressure and processing speed but did not affect executive functioning. COMT genotype (val158met) was not related to executive functioning under placebo or amphetamine conditions, even when we compared only the homozygous val/val and met/met genotypes at the highest dose of amphetamine (20 mg). Thus, we were not able to replicate the behavioral interaction between COMT and amphetamine seen in Mattay et al. We discuss possible differences between the studies and the implications of our findings for the use of COMT genotyping to predict clinical responses to dopaminergic drugs, and the use of intermediate phenotypes in genetic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Wardle
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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