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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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Jovanovic L, Chassignolle M, Schmidt-Mutter C, Behr G, Coull JT, Giersch A. Dopamine precursor depletion affects performance and confidence judgements when events are timed from an explicit, but not an implicit onset. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21933. [PMID: 38081860 PMCID: PMC10713647 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47843-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Dopamine affects processing of temporal information, but most previous work has tested its role in prospective tasks, where participants know in advance when the event to be timed starts. However, we are often exposed to events whose onset we do not know in advance. We can evaluate their duration after they have elapsed, but mechanisms underlying this ability are still elusive. Here we contrasted effects of acute phenylalanine and tyrosine depletion (APTD) on both forms of timing in healthy volunteers, in a within-subject, placebo-controlled design. Participants were presented with a disc moving around a circular path and asked to reproduce the duration of one full revolution and to judge their confidence in performance. The onset of the revolution was either known in advance (explicit onset) or revealed only at the end of the trial (implicit onset). We found that APTD shortened reproduced durations in the explicit onset task but had no effect on temporal performance in the implicit onset task. This dissociation is corroborated by effects of APTD on confidence judgements in the explicit task only. Our findings suggest that dopamine has a specific role in prospective encoding of temporal intervals, rather than the processing of temporal information in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ljubica Jovanovic
- Inserm 1114, Centre for Psychiatry, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France.
- Laboratoire des Systèmes Perceptifs, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University & CNRS, Paris, France.
| | - Morgane Chassignolle
- Laboratoire des Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), Aix-Marseille University & CNRS, Marseille, France
| | | | - Guillaume Behr
- Inserm 1114, Centre for Psychiatry, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jennifer T Coull
- Laboratoire des Neurosciences Cognitives (LNC), Aix-Marseille University & CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Anne Giersch
- Inserm 1114, Centre for Psychiatry, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France.
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3
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Ciullo V, Piras F, Banaj N, Vecchio D, Piras F, Sani G, Ducci G, Spalletta G. Internal clock variability, mood swings and working memory in bipolar disorder. J Affect Disord 2022; 315:48-56. [PMID: 35907479 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.07.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Distortions in time processing may be regarded as an endophenotypic marker of neuropsychiatric diseases; however, investigations addressing Bipolar Disorder (BD) are still scarce. METHODS The present study compared timing abilities in 30 BD patients and 30 healthy controls (HC), and explored the relationship between time processing and affective-cognitive symptoms in BD, with the aim to determine whether timing difficulties are primary in bipolar patients or due to comorbid cognitive impairment. Four tasks measuring external timing were administered: a temporal and spatial orienting of attention task and a temporal and colour discrimination task, for assessing the ability to evaluate temporal properties of external events; two other tasks assessed the speed of the internal clock (i.e. temporal bisection and temporal production tasks). Attentional, executive and working memory (WM) demands were equated for controlling additional cognitive processes. RESULTS BD patients did not show differences in external timing accuracy compared to HC; conversely, we found increased variability of the internal clock in BD and this performance was related to Major Depressive Episodes recurrence and WM functioning. Hence, variability of the internal clock is influenced by the progressive course of BD and impacted by variations in WM. LIMITATIONS Future studies including BD patients stratified by mood episode will further specify timing alterations conditional to the current affective state. CONCLUSIONS Our results shed new light on the clinical phenotypes of BD, suggesting that timing might be used as a model system of the ongoing pathophysiological process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Ciullo
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Piras
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Nerisa Banaj
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Vecchio
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Piras
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sani
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Psychiatry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Department of Psychiatry, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ducci
- Department of Mental Health, ASL, Roma 1, 00135 Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Spalletta
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.
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4
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Gustavsson J, Papenberg G, Falahati F, Laukka EJ, Kalpouzos G. Contributions of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Val158Met Polymorphism to Changes in Brain Iron Across Adulthood and Their Relationships to Working Memory. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:838228. [PMID: 35571998 PMCID: PMC9091601 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.838228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing is associated with excessive free brain iron, which may induce oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, likely causing cognitive deficits. Lack of dopamine may be a factor behind the increase of iron with advancing age, as it has an important role in cellular iron homoeostasis. We investigated the effect of COMT Val 158 Met (rs4680), a polymorphism crucial for dopamine degradation and proxy for endogenous dopamine, on iron accumulation and working memory in a longitudinal lifespan sample (n = 208, age 20–79 at baseline, mean follow-up time = 2.75 years) using structural equation modelling. Approximation of iron content was assessed using quantitative susceptibility mapping in striatum and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Iron accumulated in both striatum and DLPFC during the follow-up period. Greater iron accumulation in DLPFC was associated with more deleterious change in working memory. Older (age 50–79) Val homozygotes (with presumably lower endogenous dopamine) accumulated more iron than older Met carriers in both striatum and DLPFC, no such differences were observed among younger adults (age 20–49). In conclusion, individual differences in genetic predisposition related to low dopamine levels increase iron accumulation, which in turn may trigger deleterious change in working memory. Future studies are needed to better understand how dopamine may modulate iron accumulation across the human lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatan Gustavsson
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Jonatan Gustavsson,
| | - Goran Papenberg
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Farshad Falahati
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erika J. Laukka
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Grégoria Kalpouzos
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Grégoria Kalpouzos,
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5
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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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Dumontheil I, Kilford EJ, Blakemore SJ. Development of dopaminergic genetic associations with visuospatial, verbal and social working memory. Dev Sci 2019; 23:e12889. [PMID: 31336006 PMCID: PMC7064996 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine transmission in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) supports working memory (WM), the temporary holding, processing and manipulation of information in one's mind. The gene coding the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme, which degrades dopamine, in particular in the PFC, has a common single nucleotide polymorphism leading to two versions of the COMT enzyme which vary in their enzymatic activity. The methionine (Met) allele has been associated with higher WM performance and lower activation of the PFC in executive function tasks than the valine (Val) allele. In a previous study, COMT genotype was associated with performance on verbal and visuospatial WM tasks in adults, as well as with performance on a novel social WM paradigm that requires participants to maintain and manipulate information about the traits of their friends or family over a delay. Here, data collected in children and adolescents (N = 202) were compared to data from the adult sample (N = 131) to investigate possible age differences in genetic associations. Our results replicate and extend previous work showing that the pattern of superior WM performance observed in Met/Met adults emerges during development. These findings are consistent with a decrease in prefrontal dopamine levels during adolescence. Developmentally moderated genetic effects were observed for both visuospatial and social WM, even when controlling for non-social WM performance, suggesting that the maintenance and manipulation of social information may also recruit the dopamine neurotransmitter system. These findings show that development should be considered when trying to understand the impact of genetic polymorphisms on cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iroise Dumontheil
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Emma J Kilford
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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7
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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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8
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Klaus K, Pennington K. Dopamine and Working Memory: Genetic Variation, Stress and Implications for Mental Health. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2019; 41:369-391. [PMID: 31502081 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2019_113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
At the molecular level, the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) is a key regulatory component of executive function in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and dysfunction in dopaminergic (DAergic) circuitry has been shown to result in impaired working memory (WM). Research has identified multiple common genetic variants suggested to impact on the DA system functionally and also behaviourally to alter WM task performance. In addition, environmental stressors impact on DAergic tone, and this may be one mechanism by which stressors confer vulnerability to the development of neuropsychiatric conditions. This chapter aims to evaluate the impact of key DAergic gene variants suggested to impact on both synaptic DA levels (COMT, DAT1, DBH, MAOA) and DA receptor function (ANKK1, DRD2, DRD4) in terms of their influence on visuospatial WM. The role of stressors and interaction with the genetic background is discussed in addition to discussion around some of the implications for precision psychiatry. This and future work in this area aim to disentangle the neural mechanisms underlying susceptibility to stress and their impact and relationship with cognitive processes known to influence mental health vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristel Klaus
- MRC Brain and Cognition Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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9
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Salatino-Oliveira A, Rohde LA, Hutz MH. The dopamine transporter role in psychiatric phenotypes. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2018; 177:211-231. [PMID: 28766921 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The dopamine transporter (DAT) is one of the most relevant and investigated neurotransmitter transporters. DAT is a plasma membrane protein which plays a homeostatic role, controlling both extracellular and intracellular concentrations of dopamine (DA). Since unbalanced DA levels are known to be involved in numerous mental disorders, a wealth of investigations has provided valuable insights concerning DAT role into normal brain functioning and pathological processes. Briefly, this extensive but non-systematic review discusses what is recently known about the role of SLC6A3 gene which encodes the dopamine transporter in psychiatric phenotypes. DAT protein, SLC6A3 gene, animal models, neuropsychology, and neuroimaging investigations are also concisely discussed. To conclude, current challenges are reviewed in order to provide perspectives for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luis A Rohde
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Institute for Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mara H Hutz
- Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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10
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Geller S, Wilhelm O, Wacker J, Hamm A, Hildebrandt A. Associations of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism with working memory and intelligence – A review and meta-analysis. INTELLIGENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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11
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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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12
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Kehagia AA. A neurological perspective on the enhancement debate: Lessons learned from Parkinson's disease. J Psychopharmacol 2016; 30:957-66. [PMID: 27604630 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116665328] [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] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive enhancement is signified by adaptive behavioural change following an intervention that targets the brain. Although much of the discussion and research into cognitive enhancement focuses on the effects of neural interventions in healthy individuals, it is useful to consider evidence from clinical populations. Diseases of the central nervous system represent the primary and richest source of evidence on the effects of brain manipulations, which are in the first instance therapeutic. Parkinson's disease (PD) is used as a model for understanding the effects of pharmacological agents that target systems with a central role in cognition. The mixed outcomes of deep brain stimulation on cognition will also be discussed. By illustrating the psychopharmacological principle of diverse and malleable neurochemical optima for different cognitive functions, and the role of individual differences, it will be argued that the entire spectrum of cognitive effects in any one individual following any given manipulation, such as the administration of a drug, often includes enhancement as well as impairment. Predicting these effects represents a complex multivariate problem, and the accuracy of this predictive effort, as well as the harm prevention it connotes, is determined by our evolving understanding of the brain and cognition. A manipulation can be said to confer cognitive enhancement; however, it is argued that using the global term cognitive enhancer to refer to such a manipulation without qualification is of limited utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie A Kehagia
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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13
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MAP1B and NOS1 genes are associated with working memory in youths with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2016; 266:359-66. [PMID: 26233433 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-015-0626-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Diverse efforts have been done to improve the etiologic understanding of mental disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It becomes clear that research in mental disorders needs to move beyond descriptive syndromes. Several studies support recent theoretical models implicating working memory (WM) deficits in ADHD complex neuropsychology. The aim of this study was to examine the association between rs2199161 and rs478597 polymorphisms at MAP1B and NOS1 genes with verbal working memory in children and adolescents with ADHD. A total of 253 unrelated ADHD children/adolescents were included. The sample was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition criteria. Digit Span from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition was used to assess verbal WM. The raw scores from both forward and backward conditions of Digit Span were summed and converted into scaled scores according to age. The means of scaled Digit Span were compared according to genotypes by ANOVA. Significant differences in Digit Span scores between MAP1B genotype groups (rs2199161: F = 5.676; p = 0.018) and NOS1 (rs478597: F = 6.833; p = 0.009) genes were detected. For both polymorphisms, the CC genotype carriers showed a worse performance in WM task. Our findings suggest possible roles of NOS1 and MAP1B genes in WM performance in ADHD patients, replicating previous results with NOS1 gene in this cognitive domain in ADHD children.
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14
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Ciullo V, Spalletta G, Caltagirone C, Jorge RE, Piras F. Explicit Time Deficit in Schizophrenia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Indicate It Is Primary and Not Domain Specific. Schizophr Bull 2016; 42:505-18. [PMID: 26253596 PMCID: PMC4753592 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbv104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Although timing deficits are a robust finding in schizophrenia (SZ), the notion of a genuine time perception disorder in SZ is still being debated because distortions in timing might depend on neuropsychological deficits that are characteristics of the illness. Here we used meta-analytic methods to summarize the evidence of timing deficits in SZ and moderator analyses to determine whether defective timing in SZ arises from nontemporal sources or from defective time perception. PubMed Services, PsycNET, and Scopus were searched through March 2015, and all references in articles were investigated to find other relevant studies. Studies were selected if they included subjects with a primary diagnosis of SZ compared to a healthy control (HC) group and if they reported behavioral measures of duration estimation (perceptual and motor explicit timing). Data from 24 studies published from 1956 to 2015, which comprised 747 SZ individuals and 808 HC, were included. Results indicate that SZ individuals are less accurate than HC in estimating time duration across a wide range of tasks. Subgroup analyses showed that the fundamental timing deficit in SZ is independent from the length of the to-be-timed duration (automatic and cognitively controlled timing) and from methods of stimuli estimation (perceptual and motor timing). Thus, time perception per se is disturbed in SZ (not just task-specific timing processes) and this perturbation is independent from more generalized cognitive impairments. Behavioral evidence of disturbed automatic timing should be more thoroughly investigated with the aim of defining it as a cognitive phenotype for more homogeneous diagnostic subgrouping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Ciullo
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Spalletta
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX;
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Ricardo E Jorge
- Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Federica Piras
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
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15
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Ettinger U, Merten N, Kambeitz J. Meta-analysis of the association of the SLC6A3 3'-UTR VNTR with cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 60:72-81. [PMID: 26593110 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The gene coding for the dopamine transporter (DAT), SLC6A3, contains a 40-base pair variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism (rs28363170) in its 3' untranslated region. This VNTR has been associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has been investigated in relation to cognition and brain function. Here, we report the results of a comprehensive meta-analysis with meta-regression examining the association of the VNTR with different domains of cognition in healthy adults. We extracted data from 28 independent studies and carried out meta-analyses for associations with working memory (k=10 samples, N=1193 subjects), inhibition (k=8 samples, N=829 subjects), executive functions including inhibition (k=10 samples, N=984 subjects), attention (k=6 samples, N=742 subjects) and declarative long-term memory (k=5 samples, N=251 subjects). None of the investigated dimensions showed significant associations with the VNTR (all p>0.26). Meta-regression including year of publication, gender, age, ethnicity and percentage of 10R-homozygotes similarly did not attain significance. We conclude that there is no evidence that rs28363170 may be a significant predictor of cognitive function in healthy adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Ettinger
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | | | - Joseph Kambeitz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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16
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Yildirim BO, Derksen JJL. Mesocorticolimbic dopamine functioning in primary psychopathy: A source of within-group heterogeneity. Psychiatry Res 2015; 229:633-77. [PMID: 26277034 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Despite similar emotional deficiencies, primary psychopathic individuals can be situated on a continuum that spans from controlled to disinhibited. The constructs on which primary psychopaths are found to diverge, such as self-control, cognitive flexibility, and executive functioning, are crucially regulated by dopamine (DA). As such, the goal of this review is to examine which specific alterations in the meso-cortico-limbic DA system and corresponding genes (e.g., TH, DAT, COMT, DRD2, DRD4) might bias development towards a more controlled or disinhibited expression of primary psychopathy. Based on empirical data, it is argued that primary psychopathy is generally related to a higher tonic and population activity of striatal DA neurons and lower levels of D2-type DA receptors in meso-cortico-limbic projections, which may boost motivational drive towards incentive-laden goals, dampen punishment sensitivity, and increase future reward-expectancy. However, increasingly higher levels of DA activity in the striatum (moderate versus pathological elevations), lower levels of DA functionality in the prefrontal cortex, and higher D1-to-D2-type receptor ratios in meso-cortico-limbic projections may lead to increasingly disinhibited and impetuous phenotypes of primary psychopathy. Finally, in order to provide a more coherent view on etiological mechanisms, we discuss interactions between DA and serotonin that are relevant for primary psychopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bariş O Yildirim
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Radboud University Nijmegen, De Kluyskamp 1002, 6545 JD Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Jan J L Derksen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Room: A.07.04B, Radboud University Nijmegen, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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17
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Blum K, Thompson B, Demotrovics Z, Femino J, Giordano J, Oscar-Berman M, Teitelbaum S, Smith DE, Roy AK, Agan G, Fratantonio J, Badgaiyan RD, Gold MS. The Molecular Neurobiology of Twelve Steps Program & Fellowship: Connecting the Dots for Recovery. JOURNAL OF REWARD DEFICIENCY SYNDROME 2015; 1:46-64. [PMID: 26306329 PMCID: PMC4545669 DOI: 10.17756/jrds.2015-008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There are some who suggest that alcoholism and drug abuse are not diseases at all and that they are not consequences of a brain disorder as espoused recently by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). Some would argue that addicts can quit on their own and moderate their alcohol and drug intake. When they present to a treatment program or enter the 12 Step Program & Fellowship, many addicts finally achieve complete abstinence. However, when controlled drinking fails, there may be successful alternatives that fit particular groups of individuals. In this expert opinion, we attempt to identify personal differences in recovery, by clarifying the molecular neurobiological basis of each step of the 12 Step Program. We explore the impact that the molecular neurobiological basis of the 12 steps can have on Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) despite addiction risk gene polymorphisms. This exploration has already been accomplished in part by Blum and others in a 2013 Springer Neuroscience Brief. The purpose of this expert opinion is to briefly, outline the molecular neurobiological and genetic links, especially as they relate to the role of epigenetic changes that are possible in individuals who regularly attend AA meetings. It begs the question as to whether "12 steps programs and fellowship" does induce neuroplasticity and continued dopamine D2 receptor proliferation despite carrying hypodopaminergic type polymorphisms such as DRD2 A1 allele. "Like-minded" doctors of ASAM are cognizant that patients in treatment without the "psycho-social-spiritual trio," may not be obtaining the important benefits afforded by adopting 12-step doctrines. Are we better off with coupling medical assisted treatment (MAT) that favors combining dopamine agonist modalities (DAM) as possible histone-deacetylase activators with the 12 steps followed by a program that embraces either one or the other? While there are many unanswered questions, at least we have reached a time when "science meets recovery," and in doing so, can further redeem joy in recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Blum
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Addiction Research and Therapy, Malibu Beach Recovery Center, Malibu Beach, CA, USA
- Dominion Diagnostics, Inc., North Kingstown, RI, USA
- IGENE, LLC., Austin, TX, USA
- RDSolutions, Del Mar, CA, USA
- National Institute for Holistic Medicine, North Miami Beach, FL, USA
| | - Benjamin Thompson
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Boston University School of Medicine, and Boston VA Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zsolt Demotrovics
- Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - John Femino
- Dominion Diagnostics, Inc., North Kingstown, RI, USA
- Meadows Edge Recovery Center, North Kingstown, RI, USA
| | - John Giordano
- National Institute for Holistic Medicine, North Miami Beach, FL, USA
| | - Marlene Oscar-Berman
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, and Boston VA Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott Teitelbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David E. Smith
- Dominion Diagnostics, Inc., North Kingstown, RI, USA
- Institute of Health & Aging, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Gozde Agan
- Dominion Diagnostics, Inc., North Kingstown, RI, USA
| | | | - Rajendra D. Badgaiyan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota College of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mark S. Gold
- Director of Research, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Educational Foundation, Washington, D.C, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the Keck, University of Southern California, School of Medicine, CA, USA
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18
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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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19
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Genetics and Functional Imaging: Effects of APOE, BDNF, COMT, and KIBRA in Aging. Neuropsychol Rev 2015; 25:47-62. [DOI: 10.1007/s11065-015-9279-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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20
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A Hierarchical Factor Model of Executive Functions in Adolescents: Evidence of Gene-Environment Interplay. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2015; 21:62-73. [PMID: 25499600 PMCID: PMC4468042 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617714001039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Executive functions (EF) are a complex set of neurodevelopmental, higher-ordered processes that are especially salient during adolescence. Disruptions to these processes are predictive of psychiatric problems in later adolescence and adulthood. The objectives of the current study were to characterize the latent structure of EF using bifactor analysis and to investigate the independent and interactive effects of genes and environments on EF during adolescence. Using a representative young adolescent sample, we tested the interaction of a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) and parental supervision for EF through hierarchical linear regression. To account for the possibility of a hierarchical factor structure for EF, a bifactor analysis was conducted on the eight subtests of the Delis-Kaplan Executive Functions System (D-KEFS). The bifactor analysis revealed the presence of a general EF construct and three EF subdomains (i.e., conceptual flexibility, inhibition, and fluency). A significant 5-HTTLPR by parental supervision interaction was found for conceptual flexibility, but not for general EF, fluency or inhibition. Specifically, youth with the L/L genotype had significantly lower conceptual flexibility scores compared to youth with S/S or S/L genotypes given low levels of parental supervision. Our findings indicate that adolescents with the L/L genotype were especially vulnerable to poor parental supervision on EF. This vulnerability may be amenable to preventive interventions.
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21
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Twamley EW, Hua JPY, Burton CZ, Vella L, Chinh K, Bilder RM, Kelsoe JR. Effects of COMT genotype on cognitive ability and functional capacity in individuals with schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2014; 159:114-7. [PMID: 25139113 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Revised: 07/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive and functional impairments are core features of schizophrenia. This study examined the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype and its relationship to cognition and functional capacity in 188 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. We found that in a dose-response fashion, individuals with more Met alleles performed significantly better on tests of learning/memory and abstraction. The effects of COMT genotype on cognition were modest, explaining about 3% of the variance in learning/memory and abstraction. Larger studies will be needed to examine the relationships between COMT and other genes and cognitive performance and everyday functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth W Twamley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, United States; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, United States.
| | | | - Cynthia Z Burton
- San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States
| | - Lea Vella
- San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, United States
| | - Kelly Chinh
- University of California, San Diego, United States
| | - Robert M Bilder
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - John R Kelsoe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, United States; Psychiatry Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, United States
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22
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Carmel M, Zarchi O, Michaelovsky E, Frisch A, Patya M, Green T, Gothelf D, Weizman A. Association of COMT and PRODH gene variants with intelligence quotient (IQ) and executive functions in 22q11.2DS subjects. J Psychiatr Res 2014; 56:28-35. [PMID: 24853458 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/24/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) carries the highest genetic risk factor for the development of schizophrenia. We investigated the association of genetic variants in two schizophrenia candidate genes with executive function (EF) and IQ in 22q11.2DS individuals. Ninety two individuals with 22q11.2 deletion were studied for the genetic association between COMT and PRODH variants and EF and IQ. Subjects were divided into children (under 12 years old), adolescents (between 12 and 18 years old) and adults (older than 18 years), and genotyped for the COMT Val158Met (rs4680) and PRODH Arg185Trp (rs4819756) polymorphisms. The participants underwent psychiatric evaluation and EF assessment. Our main finding is a significant influence of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism on both IQ and EF performance. Specifically, 22q11.2DS subjects with Met allele displayed higher IQ scores in all age groups compared to Val carriers, reaching significance in both adolescents and adults. The Met allele carriers performed better than Val carriers in EF tasks, being statistically significant in the adult group. PRODH Arg185Trp variant did not affect IQ or EF in our 22q11.2DS cohort. In conclusion, functional COMT variant, but not PRODH, affects IQ and EF in 22q11.2DS subjects during neurodevelopment with a maximal effect at adulthood. Future studies should monitor the cognitive performance of the same individuals from childhood to old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miri Carmel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petah Tikva, Israel.
| | - Omer Zarchi
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Child Psychiatry Unit, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba MedicalCenter, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel; Rabin Medical Center, 49100 Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Elena Michaelovsky
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Amos Frisch
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Miriam Patya
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Tamar Green
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Child Psychiatry Unit, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba MedicalCenter, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel; Nes-Ziyyona-Beer Yaakov Mental Health Center, Beer Yaakov, Israel
| | - Doron Gothelf
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Child Psychiatry Unit, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba MedicalCenter, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Abraham Weizman
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petah Tikva, Israel; Geha Mental-Health Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
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23
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Dumontheil I, Jensen SKG, Wood NW, Meyer ML, Lieberman MD, Blakemore SJ. Preliminary investigation of the influence of dopamine regulating genes on social working memory. Soc Neurosci 2014; 9:437-51. [PMID: 24889756 PMCID: PMC4131246 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2014.925503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) refers to mental processes that enable temporary retention and manipulation of information, including information about other people ("social working memory"). Previous studies have demonstrated that nonsocial WM is supported by dopamine neurotransmission. Here, we investigated in 131 healthy adults whether dopamine is similarly involved in social WM by testing whether social and nonsocial WM are influenced by genetic variants in three genes coding for molecules regulating the availability of dopamine in the brain: catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), dopamine active transporter (DAT), and monoamine-oxidase A (MAOA). An advantage for the Met allele of COMT was observed in the two standard WM tasks and in the social WM task. However, the influence of COMT on social WM performance was not accounted for by its influence on either standard WM paradigms. There was no main effect of DAT1 or MAOA, but a significant COMT x DAT1 interaction on social WM performance. This study provides novel preliminary evidence of effects of genetic variants of the dopamine neurotransmitter system on social cognition. The results further suggest that the effects observed on standard WM do not explain the genetic effects on effortful social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iroise Dumontheil
- a Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience , University College London , London , UK
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24
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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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25
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Piras F, Piras F, Ciullo V, Danese E, Caltagirone C, Spalletta G. Time dysperception perspective for acquired brain injury. Front Neurol 2014; 4:217. [PMID: 24454304 PMCID: PMC3888944 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2013.00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Distortions of time perception are presented by a number of neuropsychiatric illnesses. Here we survey timing abilities in clinical populations with focal lesions in key brain structures recently implicated in human studies of timing. We also review timing performance in amnesic and traumatic brain injured patients in order to identify the nature of specific timing disorders in different brain damaged populations. We purposely analyzed the complex relationship between both cognitive and contextual factors involved in time estimation, as to characterize the correlation between timed and other cognitive behaviors in each group. We assume that interval timing is a solid construct to study cognitive dysfunctions following brain injury, as timing performance is a sensitive metric of information processing, while temporal cognition has the potential of influencing a wide range of cognitive processes. Moreover, temporal performance is a sensitive assay of damage to the underlying neural substrate after a brain insult. Further research in neurological and psychiatric patients will clarify whether time distortions are a manifestation of, or a mechanism for, cognitive and behavioral symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Piras
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation , Rome , Italy
| | - Fabrizio Piras
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation , Rome , Italy
| | - Valentina Ciullo
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation , Rome , Italy
| | - Emanuela Danese
- NESMOS Department, University "Sapienza," Second Faculty of Medicine at Sant'Andrea Hospital , Rome , Italy
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation , Rome , Italy
| | - Gianfranco Spalletta
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation , Rome , Italy
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26
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Ira E, Zanoni M, Ruggeri M, Dazzan P, Tosato S. COMT, neuropsychological function and brain structure in schizophrenia: a systematic review and neurobiological interpretation. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2013; 38:366-80. [PMID: 23527885 PMCID: PMC3819150 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.120178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endophenotypes in genetic psychiatry may increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying disease risk and its manifestations. We sought to investigate the link between neuropsychological impairments and brain structural abnormalities associated with the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism in patients with schizophrenia to improve understanding of the pathophysiology of this disorder. METHODS We performed a systematic review using studies identified in PubMed and MEDLINE (from the date of the first available article to July 2012). Our review examined evidence of an association between the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism and both neuropsychological performance and brain structure in patients with psychosis, in their relatives and in healthy individuals (step 1). The review also explored whether the neuropsychological tasks and brain structures identified in step 1 met the criteria for an endophenotype (step 2). Then we evaluated evidence that the neuropsychological endophenotypes identified in step 2 are associated with the brain structure endophenotypes identified in that step (step 3). Finally, we propose a neurobiological interpretation for this evidence. RESULTS A poorer performance on the n-back task and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and smaller temporal and frontal brain areas were associated with the COMT Val allele in patients with schizophrenia and their relatives and met most of the criteria for an endophenotype. It is possible that the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism therefore contributes to the development of these neuropsychological and brain structural endophenotypes of schizophrenia, in which the prefrontal cortex may represent the neural substrate underlying both n-back and CPT performances. LIMITATIONS The association between a single genetic variant and an endophenotype does not necessarily imply a causal relationship between them. CONCLUSION This evidence and the proposed interpretation contribute to explain, at least in part, the biological substrate of 4 important endophenotypes that characterize schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Ira
- Correspondence to: E. Ira, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy;
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Gordon EM, Devaney JM, Bean S, Vaidya CJ. Resting-state striato-frontal functional connectivity is sensitive to DAT1 genotype and predicts executive function. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 25:336-45. [PMID: 23968837 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bht229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Individual differences in striatal dopamine (DA) signaling have been associated both with individual differences in executive function in healthy individuals and with risk for psychiatric disorders defined by executive dysfunction. We used resting-state functional connectivity in 50 healthy adults to examine whether a polymorphism of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1), which regulates striatal DA function, affects striatal functional connectivity in healthy adults, and whether that connectivity predicts executive function. We found that 9/10 heterozygotes, who are believed to have higher striatal DA signaling, demonstrated stronger connectivity between dorsal caudate (DC) and insular, dorsal anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal regions, as well as between ventral striatum and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, than 10/10 homozygotes. Across subjects, stronger DC-seeded connectivity predicted superior N-back working memory performance, while stronger ventral striatum-seeded connectivity predicted reduced impulsivity in everyday life. Further, mediation analysis suggested that connectivity strength mediated relationships between DAT1 genotype and behavior. These findings suggest that resting-state striato-frontal connectivity may be an endophenotype for executive function in healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan M Gordon
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Joseph M Devaney
- Department of Integrative Systems Biology, Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20310, USA
| | - Stephanie Bean
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA and
| | - Chandan J Vaidya
- Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA and Children's Research Institute, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20310, USA
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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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Abstract
The noradrenaline (norepinephrine) system exerts profound influences on cognition via ascending projections to the forebrain, mostly originating from the locus coeruleus. This paper provides an overview of available infrahuman and healthy human studies, exploring the effects of specific noradrenergic manipulations on dissociable cognitive functions, including attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, response inhibition and emotional memory. Remarkable parallels across species have been reported which may account for the mechanisms by which noradrenergic medications exert their beneficial effects in disorders such as depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The literature is discussed in relation to prevailing models of noradrenergic influences over cognition and novel therapeutic directions, including in relation to investigating the effects of noradrenergic manipulations on other disorders characterized by impulsivity, and dementias. Unanswered questions are also highlighted, along with key avenues for future research, both proof-of-concept and clinical.
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Wardle MC, de Wit H, Penton-Voak I, Lewis G, Munafò MR. Lack of association between COMT and working memory in a population-based cohort of healthy young adults. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:1253-63. [PMID: 23337869 PMCID: PMC3656369 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2012] [Revised: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 12/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The Val158Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is an important regulator of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex, an area critical to working memory. Working memory deficits are present in several psychiatric disorders, and there is wide variation in working memory capacity in the normal population. Association studies of COMT and working memory in healthy volunteers have yielded inconsistent results, possibly because of small sample sizes. Here we examine COMT in relation to N-Back working memory task performance in a large population-based cohort of young adults. We predicted individuals with one or two copies of the Met allele would perform better, and that this relationship would be more evident in males than females. Participants (N=1857-2659) tested at 18 years of age, were enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We used multiple regression to examine effects of sex and COMT genotype on N-Back hits, false positives, discriminability (d'), and reaction time while controlling for important covariates. COMT genotype did not predict hits or d'. There was a nominally significant interaction between COMT and sex on false positives, but this was not in the predicted direction, and was not significant after controlling for covariates. COMT genotype was not related to working memory in this large population-based cohort. It is possible COMT is not meaningfully associated with working memory in healthy young adults, or that COMT effects are detectable only in assessments reflecting neural processes underlying cognition, such as fMRI, rather than in behavioral performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C Wardle
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago,IL 60637, USA.
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Arts B, Simons CJP, Drukker M, van Os J. Antipsychotic medications and cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder: moderating effects of COMT Val108/158 Met genotype. BMC Psychiatry 2013; 13:63. [PMID: 23421957 PMCID: PMC3583705 DOI: 10.1186/1471-244x-13-63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 02/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a negative association between the use of antipsychotics and cognitive functioning in bipolar patients, which may be mediated by altered dopamine signaling in selected brain areas, and moderation thereof by genetic sequence variation such as COMT Val108/158Met. The interaction between antipsychotic drug use and the COMT Val108/158Met genotype on two-year cognitive functioning in bipolar patients was examined. METHODS Interaction between the COMT Val108/158Met and antipsychotics on a composite cognitive measure was examined in 51 bipolar patients who were assessed 12 times at two-monthly intervals over a period of two years (379 observations). RESULTS There was a significant negative effect of the interaction between antipsychotic medications and Val allele load on the composite cognitive measure in bipolar patients (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The negative effects of antipsychotics on cognitive functioning in bipolar disorder may be moderated by the COMT Val 108/158 Met genotype, with a negative effect of Val allele load. If replicated, the results may be indicative of pharmacogenetic interactions in bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baer Arts
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network (SEARCH), Maastricht University Medical Centre, P,O, Box 616 (DRT 12), Maastricht, MD, 6200, The Netherlands.
| | - Claudia JP Simons
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network (SEARCH), Maastricht University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 616 (DRT 12), Maastricht, MD, 6200, The Netherlands,GGZE, Institute for Mental Health Care Eindhoven en de Kempen, P.O. Box 909, Eindhoven, AX, 5600, The Netherlands
| | - Marjan Drukker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network (SEARCH), Maastricht University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 616 (DRT 12), Maastricht, MD, 6200, The Netherlands
| | - Jim van Os
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), South Limburg Mental Health Research and Teaching Network (SEARCH), Maastricht University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 616 (DRT 12), Maastricht, MD, 6200, The Netherlands,King’s College London, King’s Health Partners, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, London, United Kingdom
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COMT Val(158)Met genotype determines the direction of cognitive effects produced by catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 71:538-44. [PMID: 22364739 PMCID: PMC3314969 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2011] [Revised: 12/23/2011] [Accepted: 12/23/2011] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes dopamine. The COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism influences its activity, and multiple neural correlates of this genotype on dopaminergic phenotypes, especially working memory, have been reported. COMT activity can also be regulated pharmacologically by COMT inhibitors. The inverted-U relationship between cortical dopamine signaling and working memory predicts that the effects of COMT inhibition will differ according to COMT genotype. METHODS Thirty-four COMT Met(158)Met (Met-COMT) and 33 COMT Val(158)Val (Val-COMT) men were given a single 200-mg dose of the brain-penetrant COMT inhibitor tolcapone or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, between-subjects design. They completed the N-back task of working memory and a gambling task. RESULTS In the placebo group, Met-COMT subjects outperformed Val-COMT subjects on the 2- back, and they were more risk averse. Tolcapone had opposite effects in the two genotype groups: it worsened N-back performance in Met-COMT subjects but enhanced it in Val-COMT subjects. Tolcapone made Met-COMT subjects less risk averse but Val-COMT subjects more so. In both tasks, tolcapone reversed the baseline genotype differences. CONCLUSIONS Depending on genotype, COMT inhibition can enhance or impair working memory and increase or decrease risky decision making. To our knowledge, the data are the clearest demonstration to date that the direction of effect of a drug can be influenced by a polymorphism in its target gene. The results support the inverted-U model of dopamine function. The findings are of translational relevance, because COMT inhibitors are used in the adjunctive treatment of Parkinson's disease and are under evaluation in schizophrenia and other disorders.
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Bowirrat A, Chen TJH, Oscar-Berman M, Madigan M, Chen AL, Bailey JA, Braverman ER, Kerner M, Giordano J, Morse S, Downs BW, Waite RL, Fornari F, Armaly Z, Blum K. Neuropsychopharmacology and neurogenetic aspects of executive functioning: should reward gene polymorphisms constitute a diagnostic tool to identify individuals at risk for impaired judgment? Mol Neurobiol 2012; 45:298-313. [PMID: 22371275 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-012-8247-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2011] [Accepted: 02/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Executive functions are processes that act in harmony to control behaviors necessary for maintaining focus and achieving outcomes. Executive dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders is attributed to structural or functional pathology of brain networks involving prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its connections with other brain regions. The PFC receives innervations from different neurons associated with a number of neurotransmitters, especially dopamine (DA). Here we review findings on the contribution of PFC DA to higher-order cognitive and emotional behaviors. We suggest that examination of multifactorial interactions of an individual's genetic history, along with environmental risk factors, can assist in the characterization of executive functioning for that individual. Based upon the results of genetic studies, we also propose genetic mapping as a probable diagnostic tool serving as a therapeutic adjunct for augmenting executive functioning capabilities. We conclude that preservation of the neurological underpinnings of executive functions requires the integrity of complex neural systems including the influence of specific genes and associated polymorphisms to provide adequate neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdalla Bowirrat
- Clinical Neuroscience and Population Genetics, The Nazareth English Hospital (EMME), 16100 Nazareth, Israel.
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Zilles D, Meyer J, Schneider-Axmann T, Ekawardhani S, Gruber E, Falkai P, Gruber O. Genetic polymorphisms of 5-HTT and DAT but not COMT differentially affect verbal and visuospatial working memory functioning. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2012; 262:667-76. [PMID: 22454241 PMCID: PMC3491187 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-012-0312-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2011] [Accepted: 03/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Working memory deficits are found in different psychiatric populations and are most pronounced in schizophrenia. There is preliminary evidence from pharmacological studies that the verbal and visuospatial subcomponents of working memory are subject to differential neurotransmitter modulation. Here, we investigated the impact of well-known polymorphisms of the dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3, DAT) and the catechol-O-methyl-transferase gene (COMT) as well as the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4, 5-HTT) on these specific working memory subcomponents in a mixed sample of patients and healthy individuals. Twenty healthy subjects and 80 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder underwent genotyping for the DAT variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR), the COMT val/met-, and the 5-HTT promoter length polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and neuropsychological testing using a battery of well-characterized, brain circuit-specific working memory tasks. DAT genotype revealed a significant and selective effect on visuospatial working memory, while there was no effect on verbal working memory functioning. 5-HTT genotype, by contrast, exerted a significant and selective effect on verbal working memory task performance. COMT genotype did not show any influence on either working memory domain. The results of the present study provide evidence for a differential impact of genetic polymorphisms of the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems on verbal and visuospatial working memory functioning. Together with prior evidence suggesting the existence of subgroups of schizophrenia patients exhibiting isolated deficits in only one working memory domain, this finding further supports the idea of endophenotypically and pathophysiologically distinct subgroups of schizophrenia with implications for personalized therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Zilles
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Translational Research in Systems Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, Georg August University, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Jobst Meyer
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Thomas Schneider-Axmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Translational Research in Systems Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, Georg August University, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Savira Ekawardhani
- Department of Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Eva Gruber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Translational Research in Systems Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, Georg August University, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Oliver Gruber
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Translational Research in Systems Neuroscience and Psychiatry, University Medical Centre, Georg August University, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075 Goettingen, Germany
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Gordon EM, Stollstorff M, Devaney JM, Bean S, Vaidya CJ. Effect of dopamine transporter genotype on intrinsic functional connectivity depends on cognitive state. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 22:2182-96. [PMID: 22047966 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhr305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Functional connectivity between brain regions can define large-scale neural networks and provide information about relationships between those networks. We examined how relationships within and across intrinsic connectivity networks were 1) sensitive to individual differences in dopaminergic function, 2) modulated by cognitive state, and 3) associated with executive behavioral traits. We found that regardless of cognitive state, connections between frontal, parietal, and striatal nodes of Task-Positive networks (TPNs) and Task-Negative networks (TNNs) showed higher functional connectivity in 10/10 homozygotes of the dopamine transporter gene, a polymorphism influencing synaptic dopamine, than in 9/10 heterozygotes. However, performance of a working memory task (a state requiring dopamine release) modulated genotype differences selectively, such that cross-network connectivity between TPNs and TNNs was higher in 10/10 than 9/10 subjects during working memory but not during rest. This increased cross-network connectivity was associated with increased self-reported measures of impulsivity and inattention traits. By linking a gene regulating synaptic dopamine to a phenotype characterized by inefficient executive function, these findings validate cross-network connectivity as an endophenotype of executive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan M Gordon
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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