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Pergola G, Penzel N, Sportelli L, Bertolino A. Lessons Learned From Parsing Genetic Risk for Schizophrenia Into Biological Pathways. Biol Psychiatry 2022:S0006-3223(22)01701-2. [PMID: 36740470 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The clinically heterogeneous presentation of schizophrenia is compounded by the heterogeneity of risk factors and neurobiological correlates of the disorder. Genome-wide association studies in schizophrenia have uncovered a remarkably high number of genetic variants, but the biological pathways they impact upon remain largely unidentified. Among the diverse methodological approaches employed to provide a more granular understanding of genetic risk for schizophrenia, the use of biological labels, such as gene ontologies, regulome approaches, and gene coexpression have all provided novel perspectives into how genetic risk translates into the neurobiology of schizophrenia. Here, we review the salient aspects of parsing polygenic risk for schizophrenia into biological pathways. We argue that parsed scores, compared to standard polygenic risk scores, may afford a more biologically plausible and accurate physiological modeling of the different dimensions involved in translating genetic risk into brain mechanisms, including multiple brain regions, cell types, and maturation stages. We discuss caveats, opportunities, and pitfalls inherent in the parsed risk approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Pergola
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
| | - Nora Penzel
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Leonardo Sportelli
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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2
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Seo JP, Ryu HJ. Aging of the mesolimbic tract in the human brain: A diffusion tensor imaging study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e30924. [PMID: 36254037 PMCID: PMC9575822 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000030924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The mesolibic tract (MLT) is a dopaminergic tract that has been shown to play a role in regulating reward stimuli, including both incentive salience and social stimuli. In the current study, we examined the aging of MLT in normal human participants to explain human brain structures using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). Fifty-seven healthy participants were recruited for this study and allocated to six groups based on their age. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scanning was performed and MLTs were reconstructed using the probabilistic tractography method. MLTs were defined by selecting fibers passing through the seed and target regions of interest placed on the ventral segmental area and nucleus accumbens. A significant negative correlation was observed between age and the voxel number (VN) of MLT, while a positive correlation was observed between age and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). The mean VN value of the MLT was significantly lower in the 60s and 70s age groups than in the 20s, 40s, and 50s (P < .05). The mean ADC value of the MLT was significantly higher in the 60s and 70s groups than in the 20s, 30s, and 40s, 50s groups (P < .05). We found that aging of the MLT began in the 20s or 30s and progressed steadily throughout life until the 60s, when it exhibited significant degeneration. We believe this affect may play a role in the decline of memory and social interaction with aging in normal participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Pyo Seo
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health and Welfare Sciences, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Heun Jae Ryu
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
- *Correspondence: Heun Jae Ryu, Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School, Dankook University, 119, Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungnam 31116, Republic of Korea (e-mail: )
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3
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Pignalosa FC, Desiderio A, Mirra P, Nigro C, Perruolo G, Ulianich L, Formisano P, Beguinot F, Miele C, Napoli R, Fiory F. Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment: A Role for Glucotoxicity and Dopaminergic Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212366. [PMID: 34830246 PMCID: PMC8619146 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia, responsible for the onset of several long-term complications. Recent evidence suggests that cognitive dysfunction represents an emerging complication of DM, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still obscure. Dopamine (DA), a neurotransmitter essentially known for its relevance in the regulation of behavior and movement, modulates cognitive function, too. Interestingly, alterations of the dopaminergic system have been observed in DM. This review aims to offer a comprehensive overview of the most relevant experimental results assessing DA’s role in cognitive function, highlighting the presence of dopaminergic dysfunction in DM and supporting a role for glucotoxicity in DM-associated dopaminergic dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Several studies confirm a role for DA in cognition both in animal models and in humans. Similarly, significant alterations of the dopaminergic system have been observed in animal models of experimental diabetes and in diabetic patients, too. Evidence is accumulating that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their precursor methylglyoxal (MGO) are associated with cognitive impairment and alterations of the dopaminergic system. Further research is needed to clarify the molecular mechanisms linking DM-associated dopaminergic dysfunction and cognitive impairment and to assess the deleterious impact of glucotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Chiara Pignalosa
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Desiderio
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Mirra
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Cecilia Nigro
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Perruolo
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Luca Ulianich
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Formisano
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Beguinot
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Miele
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-746-3248
| | - Raffaele Napoli
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
| | - Francesca Fiory
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.C.P.); (A.D.); (P.M.); (C.N.); (G.P.); (L.U.); (P.F.); (F.B.); (R.N.); (F.F.)
- URT “Genomic of Diabetes”, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology, National Research Council, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Amiel Castro R, Kunovac Kallak T, Sundström Poromaa I, Willebrand M, Lager S, Ehlert U, Skalkidou A. Pregnancy-related hormones and COMT genotype: Associations with maternal working memory. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105361. [PMID: 34333317 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Women experience different degrees of subjective cognitive changes during pregnancy. The exact mechanism underlying these changes is unknown, although endocrine alterations and genetics may be contributing factors. We investigated whether multiple pregnancy-related hormones were associated with working memory function assessed with the Digit Span Test (DST) in late pregnancy. Moreover, we examined whether the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype, previously related to working memory, was an effect modifier in this association. In this population-based panel study, we recorded psychiatric history, medication use, socio-demographic characteristics, and psychological well-being, gathered blood and saliva samples, and administered the DST at gestational weeks 35-39 (N = 216). We conducted multivariate linear regressions with DST as outcome, with different hormones and COMT genotype, adjusting for covariates including maternal age, BMI, education, depressive symptoms, and parity. We repeated these analyses excluding women with elevated depressive symptoms. Higher DST total scores were associated with increased free estradiol concentrations (B = 0.01, p = 0.03; B = 0.01, p = 0.02) in all participants and in participants without depressive symptoms, respectively, whereas DST forward was positively associated with free estradiol only in women without depressive symptoms (B = 0.01, p = 0.04). Lower total testosterone concentrations (B = -0.03, p = 0.01) enhanced DST backward performance in non-depressed women. Maternal higher education was significantly associated with the DST subscales in all participants. No significant differences emerged when considering the COMT genotype. Our results suggest differential associations of free estradiol and total testosterone levels with working memory function in late pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Amiel Castro
- University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Binzmühlestrasse 14/26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Theodora Kunovac Kallak
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Inger Sundström Poromaa
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mimmie Willebrand
- Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience, Akademiska sjukhuset 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Susanne Lager
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Binzmühlestrasse 14/26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
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5
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Szekely E, Jolicoeur-Martineau A, Atkinson L, Levitan RD, Steiner M, Lydon JE, Fleming AS, Kennedy JL, Wazana A. The Interplay Between Prenatal Adversity, Offspring Dopaminergic Genes, and Early Parenting on Toddler Attentional Function. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:701971. [PMID: 34413728 PMCID: PMC8370126 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.701971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Few studies have explored the complex gene-by-prenatal environment-by-early postnatal environment interactions that underlie the development of attentional competence. Here, we examined if variation in dopamine-related genes interacts with prenatal adversity to influence toddler attentional competence and whether this influence is buffered by early positive maternal behavior. Methods: From the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment cohort, 134 participants (197 when imputing missing data) had information on prenatal adversity (prenatal stressful life events, prenatal maternal depressive symptoms, and birth weight), five dopamine-related genes (DAT1, DRD4, DRD2, COMT, BDNF), observed maternal parenting behavior at 6 months and parent-rated toddler attentional competence at 18 and 24 months. The Latent Environmental and Genetic Interaction (LEGIT) approach was used to examine genes-by-prenatal environment-by-postnatal environment interactions while controlling for sociodemographic factors and postnatal depression. Results: Our hypothesis of a three-way interaction between prenatal adversity, dopamine-related genes, and early maternal parenting behavior was not confirmed. However, consistent two-way interactions emerged between prenatal adversity and dopamine-related genes; prenatal adversity and maternal parenting behavior, and dopamine-related genes and maternal parenting behavior in relation to toddler attentional competence. Significant interaction effects were driven by the DAT1, COMT, and BDNF genotypes; prenatal stressful life events; maternal sensitivity, tactile stimulation, vocalization, and infant-related activities. Conclusions: Multiple dopamine-related genes affected toddler attentional competence and they did so in interaction with prenatal adversity and the early rearing environment, separately. Effects were already visible in young children. Several aspects of early maternal parenting have been identified as potential targets for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Szekely
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alexia Jolicoeur-Martineau
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.,MILA-Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Computer Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Robert D Levitan
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Meir Steiner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - John E Lydon
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alison S Fleming
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Ashley Wazana
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Centre for Child Development and Mental Health, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
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6
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Fremont R, Manoochehri M, Armstrong NM, Mattay VS, Apud JA, Tierney MC, Devanand DP, Gazes Y, Habeck C, Wassermann EM, Grafman J, Huey ED. Tolcapone Treatment for Cognitive and Behavioral Symptoms in Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia: A Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 75:1391-1403. [PMID: 32444540 PMCID: PMC10131251 DOI: 10.3233/jad-191265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are currently no disease-targeted treatments for cognitive or behavioral symptoms in patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of tolcapone, a specific inhibitor of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT), in patients with bvFTD. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study at two study sites, we examined the effect of tolcapone on 28 adult outpatients with bvFTD. The primary outcome was reaction time on the N-back cognitive test. As an imaging outcome, we examined differences in the resting blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signal intensity between subjects on placebo versus tolcapone performing the N-back test. Secondary outcomes included measures of cognitive performance and behavioral disturbance using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q), and Clinical Global Impressions scale (CGI). RESULTS Tolcapone was well tolerated and no patients dropped out. The most frequent treatment-related adverse event during tolcapone treatment was elevated liver enzymes (21%). There were no significant differences between tolcapone treatment and placebo in the primary or imaging outcomes. However, there were significant differences between RBANS total scores (p < 0.01), NPI-Q total scores (p = 0.04), and CGI total scores (p = 0.035) between treatment conditions which were driven by differences between baseline and tolcapone conditions. Further, there was a trend toward significance between tolcapone and placebo on the CGI (p = 0.078). CONCLUSIONS Further study of COMT inhibition and related approaches with longer duration of treatment and larger sample sizes in frontotemporal lobar degeneration-spectrum disorders may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Fremont
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Masood Manoochehri
- Taub Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Venkata S Mattay
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Departments of Neurology and Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jose A Apud
- Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, Clinical & Translational Neuroscience Branch, Intramural Research Program, NIMH/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mary C Tierney
- Behavioral Neurology Unit, Intramural Research Program, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - D P Devanand
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yunglin Gazes
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Eric M Wassermann
- Behavioral Neurology Unit, Intramural Research Program, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Brain Injury Research, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Departments of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Cognitive Neurology & Alzheimer's Disease, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Edward D Huey
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Taub Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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7
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Mendz GL, Cook M. Transhumanist Genetic Enhancement: Creation of a 'New Man' Through Technological Innovation. New Bioeth 2021; 27:105-126. [PMID: 33955830 DOI: 10.1080/20502877.2021.1917228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The transhumanist project of reshaping human beings by promoting their improvement through technological innovations has a broad agenda. This study focuses on the enhancement of the human organism through genetic modification techniques. Transhumanism values and a discussion of their philosophical background provide a framework to understand its ideals. Genetics and ethics are employed to assess the claims of the transhumanist program of human enhancement. A succinct description of central concepts in genetics and an explanation of current techniques to edit the human genome serve to assess the capabilities and limitations of editing techniques. Potential benefits and liabilities of human enhancement through genome editing are discussed to appraise its feasibility. Ethical considerations of genome editing inform a reflection on the implications of introducing heritable changes in the genome of individuals. It is concluded that the transhumanist program is underpinned by a large number of hypotheses rather than by sufficient evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- George L Mendz
- School of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael Cook
- BioEdge Newsletter, New Media Foundation, Botany, Australia
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8
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Su Y, DePasquale M, Liao G, Buchler I, Zhang G, Byers S, Carr GV, Barrow J, Wei H. Membrane bound catechol-O-methytransferase is the dominant isoform for dopamine metabolism in PC12 cells and rat brain. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 896:173909. [PMID: 33503461 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.173909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Impaired dopamine activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is thought to contribute to cognitive deficits in diseases such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and traumatic brain injury. Catechol-O-methyltransfease (COMT) metabolizes dopamine and is an important regulator of dopamine signaling in the DLPFC. In mammalian species, two isoforms of COMT protein, membrane-bound COMT (MB-COMT) and soluble COMT (S-COMT), are encoded by one COMT gene and expressed widely. While S-COMT is thought to play a dominant role in the peripheral tissues, MB-COMT is suggested to have a greater role in dopamine metabolism in the brain. However, whether a selective inhibitor for MB-COMT may effectively block dopamine metabolism remains unknown. We generated a knockout of MB-COMT in PC12 cells using CRISPR-cas9 technology to evaluate the effect of both MB and S-COMT on dopamine metabolism. Deletion of MB-COMT in PC12 cells significantly decreased homovanillic acid (HVA), completely depleted 3-methyoxytyramine (3-MT), and significantly increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels. Comparison of the effect of a MB-COMT selective inhibitor LI-1141 on dopamine metabolism in wild type and MB-COMT knockout PC12 cells allowed us to confirm the selectivity of LI-1141 with respect to MB-COMT in cells. Under conditions in which LI-1141 was shown to inhibit only MB-COMT but not S-COMT, it effectively changed dopamine metabolites similar to the effect induced by tolcapone, a non-selective COMT inhibitor, suggesting that selective inhibition of MB-COMT will be effective in blocking dopamine metabolism, providing an attractive therapeutic approach in improving cognition for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupin Su
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Gangling Liao
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ingrid Buchler
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gongliang Zhang
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Spencer Byers
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gregory V Carr
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - James Barrow
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Huijun Wei
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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9
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Antonucci LA, Penzel N, Pigoni A, Dominke C, Kambeitz J, Pergola G. Flexible and specific contributions of thalamic subdivisions to human cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:35-53. [PMID: 33497787 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The thalamus participates in multiple functional brain networks supporting different cognitive abilities. How thalamo-cortical connections map onto the architecture of human cognition remains an outstanding question. The aim of this meta-analysis is to map co-activation between thalamic and extra-thalamic brain regions onto separate cognitive domains and to assess thalamic subdivision specificity within each of the cognitive domains considered. We parsed 93 fMRI studies into twelve cognitive domains. Signed Differential Mapping served to obtain co-activation maps. We then projected the contribution of thalamic subdivisions onto a thalamic atlas to assess cognitive domain specificity. A set of brain regions was flexibly involved with thalamus in several cognitive domains. Thalamic subdivisions showed ample cognitive heterogeneity. Our proposed model represents thalamic involvement in cognition as an "ensemble" of functional subdivisions with common cell properties embedded in separate cortical circuits rather than a homogeneous functional unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Antonucci
- Department of Education, Psychology and Communication - University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy - Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany; Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
| | - Nora Penzel
- Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy - Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry University of Cologne, Medical Faculty Cologne Germany
| | - Alessandro Pigoni
- Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy - Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany; Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health - Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Clara Dominke
- Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy - Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Joseph Kambeitz
- Department of Psychiatry University of Cologne, Medical Faculty Cologne Germany
| | - Giulio Pergola
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy; Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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10
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Zhang Y, Yang X, Wang Z. The COMT rs4680 polymorphism, family functioning and preschoolers' attentional control indexed by intraindividual reaction time variability. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:713-724. [PMID: 32974928 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Trial-to-trial intraindividual reaction time variability (IIRTV) serves as an index of attentional control and related endogenous brain function. What determinants contribute to preschoolers' attentional control indexed by IIRTV remains unknown. The present study examined how catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) rs4680 polymorphism interacted with family functioning (cohesion and adaptability) to impact on preschoolers' attentional control indexed by IIRTV. One hundred forty-four preschool children (Mage = 4.19, SD = 0.63) completed the flanker task to assess their IIRTV. Their parents were asked to fill out the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale II to assess family functioning. After controlling for age, socioeconomic status (SES) and mean reaction time, results showed that the COMT rs4680 polymorphism was positively associated with preschoolers' IIRTV at the 5% significance level (p = .02) but not after multiple testing adjustment (p = .08). Moreover the COMT rs4680 polymorphism significantly interacted with family functioning to impact on preschoolers' IIRTV and the interaction effects remained significant after correction for multiple testing (p = .01, ΔR2 = 0.06 in congruent conditions; p = .04, ΔR2 = 0.04 in combined conditions). In addition, the significant interaction between SES and COMT rs4680 polymorphism was also found in the present study (p = .01, ΔR2 = 0.05 in congruent conditions; p = .05, ΔR2 = 0.03 in combined conditions). No sex differences were found in the present sample. The findings of the present study expand our knowledge about the gene × environment underpinnings of children's attentional control and endogenous brain function, and provide evidence for the Vantage Sensitivity model on children's development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuewen Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Provincial Key Research Center of Child Mental and Behavioral Health, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaohui Yang
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Provincial Key Research Center of Child Mental and Behavioral Health, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhenhong Wang
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Provincial Key Research Center of Child Mental and Behavioral Health, Xi'an, China
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11
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Huey ED, Fremont R, Manoochehri M, Gazes Y, Lee S, Cosentino S, Tierney M, Wassermann EM, Momeni P, Grafman J. Effect of Functional BDNF and COMT Polymorphisms on Symptoms and Regional Brain Volume in Frontotemporal Dementia and Corticobasal Syndrome. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2020; 32:362-369. [PMID: 32397876 PMCID: PMC7606216 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.19100211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The authors examined the effects of two common functional polymorphisms-brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met-on cognitive, neuropsychiatric, and motor symptoms and MRI findings in persons with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) syndromes. METHODS The BDNF Val66Met and COMT Val158Met polymorphisms were genotyped in 174 participants with FTLD syndromes, including behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, primary progressive aphasia, and corticobasal syndrome. Gray matter volumes and scores on the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, Wechsler Memory Scale, and Neuropsychiatric Inventory were compared between allele groups. RESULTS The BDNF Met allele at position 66 was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms (F=9.50, df=1, 136, p=0.002). The COMT Val allele at position 158 was associated with impairment of executive function (F=6.14, df=1, 76, p=0.015) and decreased bilateral volume of the head of the caudate in patients with FTLD (uncorrected voxel-level threshold of p<0.001). Neither polymorphism had a significant effect on motor function. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that common functional polymorphisms likely contribute to the phenotypic variability seen in patients with FTLD syndromes. This is the first study to implicate BDNF polymorphisms in depressive symptoms in FTLD. These results also support an association between COMT polymorphisms and degeneration patterns and cognition in FTLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward D. Huey
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, 630 W 168th St, P&S Box 16, New York, NY, 10032
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
- Cognitive Neuroscience Section, NIH/NINDS, Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Rachel Fremont
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Masood Manoochehri
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, 630 W 168th St, P&S Box 16, New York, NY, 10032
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Yunglin Gazes
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, 630 W 168th St, P&S Box 16, New York, NY, 10032
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Stephanie Cosentino
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, 630 W 168th St, P&S Box 16, New York, NY, 10032
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Michael Tierney
- Cognitive Neuroscience Section, NIH/NINDS, Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Eric M. Wassermann
- Cognitive Neuroscience Section, NIH/NINDS, Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Jordan Grafman
- Cognitive Neuroscience Section, NIH/NINDS, Cognitive Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Think and Speak Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL
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12
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Aghamaleki-Sarvestani Z, Vousooghi N, Tabrizi M, Alipour ME, Alaghband-Rad J, Mostafavi-Abdolmaleky H, Zarindast MR. Catechol-O-methyltransferase gene expression in stress-induced and non-stress induced schizophrenia. Psychiatr Genet 2019; 30:10-18. [PMID: 31568068 DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0000000000000243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder and the outcome of gene-gene-environmental interactions, there are different possible pathophysiological mechanisms in different schizophrenia subtypes corresponding to various risk factors. This study was aimed at examining the impact of one of the most likely interactions, that is, 'dopamine and stress', in schizophrenia pathogenesis. METHODS Here, we investigated the interaction between 'war-related psychological trauma' without brain trauma and catechol-O-methyltransferase gene. Using real-time PCR analysis we measured catechol-O-methyltransferase gene expression level in the blood cells of 66 male subjects in four groups, namely veteran schizophrenia patients as 'stress-exposed schizophrenia' (S-schizophrenia), their healthy brothers as 'their genetically closest relatives' (S-siblings), schizophrenia patients without any history of significant stress as 'non-stress-exposed schizophrenia' (NoS-schizophrenia), and the control group. The results were analyzed by Relative Expression Software Tool 2009 software. RESULTS The catechol-O-methyltransferase gene expression was not significantly different between the S-schizophrenia and NoS-schizophrenia groups. However, compared to the control group, the catechol-O-methyltransferase expression was significantly decreased in three groups of S-schizophrenia, their healthy siblings, and NoS-schizophrenia patients. CONCLUSION This data supports that reduced blood catechol-O-methyltransferase expression, which may be associated with higher dopamine level, is involved both in stress-induced and non-stress-induced schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nasim Vousooghi
- Department of Neuroscience and addiction studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine.,Research Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences
| | | | - Mohammad Esmaeil Alipour
- Department of Neuroscience and addiction studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine.,Janbazan Medical and Engineering Research Center
| | | | - Hamid Mostafavi-Abdolmaleky
- Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Center, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mohammad Reza Zarindast
- Department of Neuroscience and addiction studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine.,Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine
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13
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Weil ZM, Karelina K. Lifelong consequences of brain injuries during development: From risk to resilience. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 55:100793. [PMID: 31560884 PMCID: PMC6905510 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injuries in children represent a major public health issue and even relatively mild injuries can have lifelong consequences. However, the outcomes from these injuries are highly heterogeneous, with most individuals recovering fully, but a substantial subset experiencing prolonged or permanent disabilities across a number of domains. Moreover, brain injuries predispose individuals to other kinds of neuropsychiatric and somatic illnesses. Critically, the severity of the injury only partially predicts subsequent outcomes, thus other factors must be involved. In this review, we discuss the psychological, social, neuroendocrine, and autonomic processes that are disrupted following traumatic brain injury during development, and consider the mechanisms the mediate risk or resilience after traumatic brain injury in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary M Weil
- Department of Neuroscience, Group in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Kate Karelina
- Department of Neuroscience, Group in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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14
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Thalamic connectivity measured with fMRI is associated with a polygenic index predicting thalamo-prefrontal gene co-expression. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:1331-1344. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01843-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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15
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Khanthiyong B, Thanoi S, Reynolds GP, Nudmamud-Thanoi S. Association study of the functional Catechol-O-Methyltranferase (COMT) Val 158Met polymorphism on executive cognitive function in a Thai sample. Int J Med Sci 2019; 16:1461-1465. [PMID: 31673237 PMCID: PMC6818203 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.35789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Catechol-O-Methyltranferase (COMT) plays a crucial role in the removal of cortical dopamine and is strongly implicated in human executive function. Numerous studies have reported associations of the COMT Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism with executive function in healthy subjects. However, little work has investigated this in the Thai population and the relationship of age and education with this association remains unclear. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the association of this polymorphism of the COMT gene with executive cognitive brain function in healthy subjects and the relationship with age and education. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was performed to assess executive function in 254 healthy Thai subjects (aged 20-72 years). The results showed a significant association of rs4680 with executive function, in which Val/Met heterozygotes demonstrated better cognitive set shifting performance. Moreover, Met allele carriers showed a significantly stronger effect in the categories completed score than did Val homozygotes. Furthermore, age and education also showed a significant association with COMT genotype and WCST. These results revealed that executive cognitive function is associated with COMT genotype and influenced by age and/or education level in a Thai sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bupachad Khanthiyong
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.,Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Samur Thanoi
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.,Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Gavin P Reynolds
- Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.,Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Sutisa Nudmamud-Thanoi
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand.,Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
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16
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Laboratory-induced learned helplessness attenuates approach motivation as indexed by posterior versus frontal theta activity. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2018; 17:904-916. [PMID: 28585017 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-017-0521-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Research suggests that midline posterior versus frontal electroencephalographic (EEG) theta activity (PFTA) may reflect a novel neurophysiological index of approach motivation. Elevated PFTA has been associated with approach-related tendencies both at rest and during laboratory tasks designed to enhance approach motivation. PFTA is sensitive to changes in dopamine signaling within the fronto-striatal neural circuit, which is centrally involved in approach motivation, reward processing, and goal-directed behavior. To date, however, no studies have examined PFTA during a laboratory task designed to reduce approach motivation or goal-directed behavior. Considerable animal and human research supports the hypothesis put forth by the learned helplessness theory that exposure to uncontrollable aversive stimuli decreases approach motivation by inducing a state of perceived uncontrollability. Accordingly, the present study examined the effect of perceived uncontrollability (i.e., learned helplessness) on PFTA. EEG data were collected from 74 participants (mean age = 19.21 years; 40 females) exposed to either Controllable (n = 26) or Uncontrollable (n = 25) aversive noise bursts, or a No-Noise Condition (n = 23). In line with prediction, individuals exposed to uncontrollable aversive noise bursts displayed a significant decrease in PFTA, reflecting reduced approach motivation, relative to both individuals exposed to controllable noise bursts or the No-Noise Condition. There was no relationship between perceived uncontrollability and frontal EEG alpha asymmetry, another commonly used neurophysiological index of approach motivation. Results have implications for understanding the neurophysiology of approach motivation and establishing PFTA as a neurophysiological index of approach-related tendencies.
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17
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Janetsian-Fritz SS, Timme NM, Timm MM, McCane AM, Baucum Ii AJ, O'Donnell BF, Lapish CC. Maternal deprivation induces alterations in cognitive and cortical function in adulthood. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:71. [PMID: 29581432 PMCID: PMC5913289 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0119-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life trauma is a risk factor for a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SZ). The current study assessed how an early life traumatic event, maternal deprivation (MD), alters cognition and brain function in rodents. Rats were maternally deprived in the early postnatal period and then recognition memory (RM) was tested in adulthood using the novel object recognition task. The expression of catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD67) were quantified in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ventral striatum, and temporal cortex (TC). In addition, depth EEG recordings were obtained from the mPFC, vertex, and TC during a paired-click paradigm to assess the effects of MD on sensory gating. MD animals exhibited impaired RM, lower expression of COMT in the mPFC and TC, and lower expression of GAD67 in the TC. Increased bioelectric noise was observed at each recording site of MD animals. MD animals also exhibited altered information theoretic measures of stimulus encoding. These data indicate that a neurodevelopmental perturbation yields persistent alterations in cognition and brain function, and are consistent with human studies that identified relationships between allelic differences in COMT and GAD67 and bioelectric noise. These changes evoked by MD also lead to alterations in shared information between cognitive and primary sensory processing areas, which provides insight into how early life trauma confers a risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, such as SZ, later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarine S Janetsian-Fritz
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Nicholas M Timme
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Maureen M Timm
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Aqilah M McCane
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Anthony J Baucum Ii
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Brian F O'Donnell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Christopher C Lapish
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Indiana University School of Medicine Stark Neuroscience Institute, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Science Institute for Mathematical Modeling and Computational Sciences, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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18
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Tkachenko O, Dinges DF. Interindividual variability in neurobehavioral response to sleep loss: A comprehensive review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 89:29-48. [PMID: 29563066 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Stable trait-like responding is well established for neurobehavioral performance measures across repeated exposures to total sleep deprivation and partial chronic sleep restriction. These observed phenotypes are task-dependent, suggesting that there are distinct cognitive profiles of responding with differential vulnerability to sleep loss within the same individual. Numerous factors have been investigated as potential markers of phenotypic vulnerability to the effects of sleep loss but none fully account for this phenomenon. Observed interindividual differences in performance during extended wakefulness may be driven by underlying deficits in the wake-promoting system resulting in greater performance instability due to failure to counteract increased homeostatic pressure. Further work would benefit from a systems approach to the study of interindividual vulnerability in which behavioral, neurobiological, and genetic data are integrated in a larger framework delineating the relationships between genes, proteins, neurobiology, and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Tkachenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 425 S. University Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
| | - David F Dinges
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
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19
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Influence of Catechol-O-methyltransferase on Executive Functioning Longitudinally After Early Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury: Preliminary Findings. J Head Trauma Rehabil 2018; 31:E1-9. [PMID: 26394291 DOI: 10.1097/htr.0000000000000162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To elucidate the association of a functional catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype (rs4680) with recovery of executive functions up to 18 months after early childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) compared with an orthopedic injury (OI) group. SETTING Outpatient. PARTICIPANTS A total of 134 children with a moderate to severe TBI (n = 63) or OI (n = 71) between the ages of 3 and 6 years who were followed 18 months postinjury. DESIGN Case-comparison, longitudinal cohort MAIN MEASURES : The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, developmental NEuroPSYchological Assessment (NEPSY) of Verbal Fluency, and a modified Stroop Test for young children (Shape School). RESULTS The low-activity COMT enzyme genotype (AA) was associated with better scores on the developmental NEPSY of Verbal Fluency (F = 3.80; P = .02) and the Shape School (F = 2.89; P = .06) in all participants when controlling for injury type (TBI vs OI) over the first 18 months after injury. Injury type (TBI vs OI) did not significantly moderate the effect of the COMT genotypes on executive function recovery. CONCLUSION This study provides preliminary evidence for a role of COMT genotypes in long-term recovery of executive function after pediatric TBI and OI. Larger studies are needed to determine the exact link between genetic variation in the COMT gene and TBI recovery in children.
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20
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The effect of interactions between genetics and cannabis use on neurocognition. A review. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 82:95-106. [PMID: 29191570 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis is one of the most widely-used drugs in industrialized countries. It is now well established that cannabis use impacts neurocognition. In the intoxication period time episodic memory, working memory and attention are impacted and impulsivity is increased. The long-term effects of cannabis use tend to be similar. Various internal factors, such as sex differences, modulate this impact. It is unclear whether genetic variations can also influence the impact of cannabis on neurocognition. We set out to examine the impact of genetic variations on neurocognition in cannabis users. METHOD We conducted a search via the PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases to identify studies measuring neurocognition and assessing genotypes in the context of cannabis use. RESULTS We included 13 articles. We found that working memory, verbal and visual memory and sustained attention are more impacted during intoxication in subjects with the Val COMT allele. COMT gene could also modulate sustained attention in regular use. The CNR1, AKT1, DBH and 5-HTT/SLC6A4 genes may also modulate effects. CONCLUSION Most of these genes are linked to schizophrenia. A fuller understanding of their impact on the effects of cannabis on neurocognition would thus help elucidate the mechanisms linking cannabis and psychosis. However, evidence is still scant, and more research is needed.
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21
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Markos S, Failla MD, Ritter AC, Dixon CE, Conley YP, Ricker JH, Arenth PM, Juengst SB, Wagner AK. Genetic Variation in the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter: Preliminary Associations With Cognitive Outcomes After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. J Head Trauma Rehabil 2018; 32:E24-E34. [PMID: 26828714 PMCID: PMC4967045 DOI: 10.1097/htr.0000000000000224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently results in impaired cognition, a function that can be modulated by monoaminergic signaling. Genetic variation among monoaminergic genes may affect post-TBI cognitive performance. The vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT2) gene may be a novel source of genetic variation important for cognitive outcomes post-TBI given VMAT2's role in monoaminergic neurotransmission. OBJECTIVE To evaluate associations between VMAT2 variability and cognitive outcomes post-TBI. METHODS We evaluated 136 white adults with severe TBI for variation in VMAT2 using a tagging single nucleotide polymorphism (tSNP) approach (rs363223, rs363226, rs363251, and rs363341). We show genetic variation interacts with assessed cognitive impairment (cognitive composite [Comp-Cog] T-scores) to influence functional cognition (functional independence measure cognitive [FIM-Cog] subscale] 6 and 12 months postinjury. RESULTS Multivariate analyses at 6 months postinjury showed rs363226 genotype was associated with Comp-Cog (P = .040) and interacted with Comp-Cog to influence functional cognition (P < .001). G-homozygotes had the largest cognitive impairment, and their cognitive impairment had the greatest adverse effect on functional cognition. DISCUSSION We provide the first evidence that genetic variation within VMAT2 is associated with cognitive outcomes after TBI. Further work is needed to validate this finding and elucidate mechanisms by which genetic variation affects monoaminergic signaling, mediating differences in cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Markos
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA
| | - Michelle D. Failla
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Anne C Ritter
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA
| | - C. Edward Dixon
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System
- Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
| | - Yvette P. Conley
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA
- Health Promotion & Development, University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Joseph H Ricker
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, New York University, School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Patricia M. Arenth
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA
| | - Shannon B. Juengst
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA
| | - Amy K. Wagner
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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22
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Crist RC, Li J, Doyle GA, Gilbert A, Dechairo BM, Berrettini WH. Pharmacogenetic analysis of opioid dependence treatment dose and dropout rate. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2018; 44:431-440. [PMID: 29333880 PMCID: PMC5940523 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2017.1420795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, no pharmacogenetic tests for selecting an opioid-dependence pharmacotherapy have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. OBJECTIVES Determine the effects of variants in 11 genes on dropout rate and dose in patients receiving methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00315341). METHODS Variants in six pharmacokinetic genes (CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP3A4) and five pharmacodynamic genes (HTR2A, OPRM1, ADRA2A, COMT, SLC6A4) were genotyped in samples from a 24-week, randomized, open-label trial of methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone for the treatment of opioid dependence (n = 764; 68.7% male). Genotypes were then used to determine the metabolism phenotype for each pharmacokinetic gene. Phenotypes or genotypes for each gene were analyzed for association with dropout rate and mean dose. RESULTS Genotype for 5-HTTLPR in the SLC6A4 gene was nominally associated with dropout rate when the methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone groups were combined. When the most significant variants associated with dropout rate were analyzed using pairwise analyses, SLC6A4 (5-HTTLPR) and COMT (Val158Met; rs4860) had nominally significant associations with dropout rate in methadone patients. None of the genes analyzed in the study was associated with mean dose of methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that functional polymorphisms related to synaptic dopamine or serotonin levels may predict dropout rates during methadone treatment. Patients with the S/S genotype at 5-HTTLPR in SLC6A4 or the Val/Val genotype at Val158Met in COMT may require additional treatment to improve their chances of completing addiction treatment. Replication in other methadone patient populations will be necessary to ensure the validity of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard C. Crist
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - James Li
- Assurex Health Inc., Mason, Ohio, United States
| | - Glenn A. Doyle
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | | | | | - Wade H. Berrettini
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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McLoughlin G, Palmer J, Makeig S, Bigdely-Shamlo N, Banaschewski T, Laucht M, Brandeis D. EEG Source Imaging Indices of Cognitive Control Show Associations with Dopamine System Genes. Brain Topogr 2017; 31:392-406. [PMID: 29222686 PMCID: PMC5889775 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-017-0601-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive or executive control is a critical mental ability, an important marker of mental illness, and among the most heritable of neurocognitive traits. Two candidate genes, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and DRD4, which both have a roles in the regulation of cortical dopamine, have been consistently associated with cognitive control. Here, we predicted that individuals with the COMT Met/Met allele would show improved response execution and inhibition as indexed by event-related potentials in a Go/NoGo task, while individuals with the DRD4 7-repeat allele would show impaired brain activity. We used independent component analysis (ICA) to separate brain source processes contributing to high-density EEG scalp signals recorded during the task. As expected, individuals with the DRD4 7-repeat polymorphism had reduced parietal P3 source and scalp responses to response (Go) compared to those without the 7-repeat. Contrary to our expectation, the COMT homozygous Met allele was associated with a smaller frontal P3 source and scalp response to response-inhibition (NoGo) stimuli, suggesting that while more dopamine in frontal cortical areas has advantages in some tasks, it may also compromise response inhibition function. An interaction effect emerged for P3 source responses to Go stimuli. These were reduced in those with both the 7-repeat DRD4 allele and either the COMT Val/Val or the Met/Met homozygous polymorphisms but not in those with the heterozygous Val/Met polymorphism. This epistatic interaction between DRD4 and COMT replicates findings that too little or too much dopamine impairs cognitive control. The anatomic and functional separated maximally independent cortical EEG sources proved more informative than scalp channel measures for genetic studies of brain function and thus better elucidate the complex mechanisms in psychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- G McLoughlin
- MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, PO80, London, UK.
| | - J Palmer
- Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - S Makeig
- Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - N Bigdely-Shamlo
- Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute for Neural Computation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - T Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - M Laucht
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - D Brandeis
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
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24
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Rampino A, Taurisano P, Fanelli G, Attrotto M, Torretta S, Antonucci LA, Miccolis G, Pergola G, Ursini G, Maddalena G, Romano R, Masellis R, Di Carlo P, Pignataro P, Blasi G, Bertolino A. A Polygenic Risk Score of glutamatergic SNPs associated with schizophrenia predicts attentional behavior and related brain activity in healthy humans. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:928-939. [PMID: 28651857 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Multiple genetic variations impact on risk for schizophrenia. Recent analyses by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC2) identified 128 SNPs genome-wide associated with the disorder. Furthermore, attention and working memory deficits are core features of schizophrenia, are heritable and have been associated with variation in glutamatergic neurotransmission. Based on this evidence, in a sample of healthy volunteers, we used SNPs associated with schizophrenia in PGC2 to construct a Polygenic-Risk-Score (PRS) reflecting the cumulative risk for schizophrenia, along with a Polygenic-Risk-Score including only SNPs related to genes implicated in glutamatergic signaling (Glu-PRS). We performed Factor Analysis for dimension reduction of indices of cognitive performance. Furthermore, both PRS and Glu-PRS were used as predictors of cognitive functioning in the domains of Attention, Speed of Processing and Working Memory. The association of the Glu-PRS on brain activity during the Variable Attention Control (VAC) task was also explored. Finally, in a second independent sample of healthy volunteers we sought to confirm the association between the Glu-PRS and both performance in the domain of Attention and brain activity during the VAC.We found that performance in Speed of Processing and Working Memory was not associated with any of the Polygenic-Risk-Scores. The Glu-PRS, but not the PRS was associated with Attention and brain activity during the VAC. The specific effects of Glu-PRS on Attention and brain activity during the VAC were also confirmed in the replication sample.Our results suggest a pathway specificity in the relationship between genetic risk for schizophrenia, the associated cognitive dysfunction and related brain processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Rampino
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Paolo Taurisano
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fanelli
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Attrotto
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; Psychiatry Unit - Bari University Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Silvia Torretta
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Linda Antonella Antonucci
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Grazia Miccolis
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Giulio Pergola
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Gianluca Ursini
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, 21205 Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Giancarlo Maddalena
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; Psychiatry Unit - Bari University Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Raffaella Romano
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Rita Masellis
- Psychiatry Unit - Bari University Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Pasquale Di Carlo
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pignataro
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Blasi
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; Psychiatry Unit - Bari University Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs - University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy; Psychiatry Unit - Bari University Hospital, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
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Rothbart MK, Posner MI, Rueda MR, Sheese BE, Tang Y. Enhancing Self - Regulation in School and Clinic. MINNESOTA SYMPOSIA ON CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/9781119466864.ch4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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26
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Metti AL, Rosano C, Boudreau R, Massa R, Yaffe K, Satterfield S, Harris T, Rosso AL. Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Genotype and Gait Speed Changes over 10 Years in Older Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 2017. [PMID: 28640434 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the association between catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype and 6-m walk time and to determine whether these associations are quadratic in nature, similar to previously reported U-shaped associations between dopamine and gait and cognition. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. PARTICIPANTS Black (n = 850) and white (n = 1,352) men and women with a mean age of 73.5 ± 2.85 at baseline. MEASUREMENTS Mixed models were used to assess the association between the COMT genotype and 6-m walk time, cross-sectionally and longitudinally over 10 years. Models were assessed unstratified and stratified according to race because allele distributions were different between white and black participants. RESULTS There was a significant U-shaped association between COMT genotype and 6-m walk time: those with higher (Val/Val) and lower (Met/Met) dopamine slowed more over 10 years (0.22 ± 0.02 seconds per visit and 0.23 ± 0.02 seconds per visit, respectively) than those with the intermediate (Met/Val) dopamine (0.20 ± 0.02 seconds per visit) (P = .005). Stratified results showed a significant relationship in black (P = .01) but not white (P = .15) participants. CONCLUSION These findings indicate a role of dopaminergic regulation of gait speed in community-dwelling older adults and of prefrontal cortex involvement in gait performance. Future work should investigate the molecular integrity of dopaminergic networks and gait changes over time and structural changes in the brain with COMT and gait decline in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L Metti
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Caterina Rosano
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert Boudreau
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robyn Massa
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Kristine Yaffe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.,Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Suzanne Satterfield
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee at Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Tamara Harris
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Andrea L Rosso
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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O’Donnell KJ, Glover V, Lahti J, Lahti M, Edgar RD, Räikkönen K, O’Connor TG. Maternal prenatal anxiety and child COMT genotype predict working memory and symptoms of ADHD. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177506. [PMID: 28614354 PMCID: PMC5470664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal prenatal anxiety is an important risk factor for altered child neurodevelopment but there is uncertainty concerning the biological mechanisms involved and sources of individual differences in children's responses. We sought to determine the role of functional genetic variation in COMT, which encodes catechol-O-methyltransferase, in the association between maternal prenatal anxiety and child symptoms of ADHD and working memory. We used the prospectively-designed ALSPAC cohort (n = 6,969) for our primary data analyses followed by replication analyses in the PREDO cohort (n = 425). Maternal prenatal anxiety was based on self-report measures; child symptoms of ADHD were collected from 4-15 years of age; working memory was assessed from in-person testing at age 8 years; and genetic variation in COMT at rs4680 was determined in both mothers and children. The association between maternal prenatal anxiety and child attention/hyperactivity symptoms and working memory was moderated by the child's rs4680 genotype, with stronger effects obtained for the val/val (G:G) genotype relative to val/met (A:G) (all p<0.01) and met/met (A:A) groups (all p<0.05). Similar findings were observed in the PREDO cohort where maternal prenatal anxiety interacted with child rs4680 to predict symptoms of ADHD at 3.5 years of age. The findings, from two cohorts, show a robust gene-environment interaction, which may contribute to inter-individual differences in the effects of maternal prenatal anxiety on developmental outcomes from childhood to mid-adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran J. O’Donnell
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada
| | - Vivette Glover
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Jari Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marius Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel D. Edgar
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
- Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas G. O’Connor
- Wynne Center for Family Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
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28
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Quan J, Ong ML, Bureau JF, Sim LW, Sanmugam S, Abdul Malik AB, Wong E, Wong J, Chong YS, Saw SM, Kwek K, Qiu A, Holbrook JD, Rifkin-Graboi A. The influence of CHRNA4, COMT, and maternal sensitivity on orienting and executive attention in 6-month-old infants. Brain Cogn 2017; 116:17-28. [PMID: 28582665 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite claims concerning biological mechanisms sub-serving infant attention, little experimental work examines its underpinnings. This study examines how candidate polymorphisms from the cholinergic (CHRNA4 rs1044396) and dopaminergic (COMT rs4680) systems, respectively indicative of parietal and prefrontal/anterior cingulate involvement, are related to 6-month-olds' (n=217) performance during a visual expectation eye-tracking paradigm. As previous studies suggest that both cholinergic and dopaminergic genes may influence susceptibility to the influence of other genetic and environmental factors, we further examined whether these candidate genes interact with one another and/or with early caregiving experience in predicting infants' visual attention. We detected an interaction between CHRNA4 genotype and observed maternal sensitivity upon infants' orienting to random stimuli and a CHRNA4-COMT interaction effect upon infants' orienting to patterned stimuli. Consistent with adult research, we observed a direct effect of COMT genotype on anticipatory looking to patterned stimuli. Findings suggest that CHRNA4 genotype may influence susceptibility to other attention-related factors in infancy. These interactions may account for the inability to establish a link between CHRNA4 and orienting in infant research to date, despite developmental theorizing suggesting otherwise. Moreover, findings suggest that by 6months, dopamine, and relatedly, the prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate, may be important to infant attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffry Quan
- University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques-Lussier Private, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Mei-Lyn Ong
- University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques-Lussier Private, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Jean-Francois Bureau
- University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques-Lussier Private, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Lit Wee Sim
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Shamini Sanmugam
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Adam B Abdul Malik
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Eric Wong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Johnny Wong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Yap-Seng Chong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore; National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Seang Mei Saw
- National University Health System, 1E Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119228, Singapore; Singapore Eye Research Institute, 11 Third Hospital Avenue, Singapore 168751, Singapore; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Kenneth Kwek
- KK Women's & Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229899, Singapore
| | - Anqi Qiu
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore; National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | - Joanna D Holbrook
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore
| | - Anne Rifkin-Graboi
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 30 Medical Drive, Singapore 117609, Singapore.
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29
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The genetic architecture of effortful control and its interplay with psychological adjustment in adolescence. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN PERSONALITY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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30
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Bortolato M, Walss-Bass C, Thompson PM, Moskovitz J. Manic symptom severity correlates with COMT activity in the striatum: A post-mortem study. World J Biol Psychiatry 2017; 18:247-254. [PMID: 27458023 PMCID: PMC5468118 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2016.1208844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which catalyses the degradation of dopamine and norepinephrine, is posited to participate in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia. In support of this notion, rich evidence has documented that the severity of various BD and schizophrenia symptoms is moderated by rs4680, a single nucleotide polymorphism of the COMT gene featuring a valine (Val)-to-methionine (Met) substitution that results in lower catalytic activity. Nevertheless, the specific relevance of COMT enzymatic activity in the pathophysiology of BD and schizophrenia dimensions remains elusive. METHODS We measured COMT catalytic activity in post-mortem prefrontal cortices, striata and cerebella of schizophrenia and BD patients, as well as non-affected controls. These values were then correlated with rs4680 genotypes and psychopathology scores in the last week of life. RESULTS No direct correlation between COMT activity and rs4680 genotypes was found; however, the severity of manic symptoms was highly correlated with COMT activity in the striatum, irrespective of the diagnostic group. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that COMT striatal activity, but not rs4680 genotype, may serve as a biomarker for manic symptoms. Future studies are warranted to confirm these findings and assess the neurobiological links between COMT striatal activity and manic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA,Corresponding authors: Marco Bortolato, MD PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, 30 2000 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, . Jackob Moskovitz, PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas, 1251 Wescoe Hall Dr., Lawrence, KS 66045,
| | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Peter M. Thompson
- Southwest Brain Bank, Department of Psychiatry, Texas Tech University Health Science Center at El Paso, El Paso TX 79905 USA
| | - Jackob Moskovitz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA,Corresponding authors: Marco Bortolato, MD PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, 30 2000 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, . Jackob Moskovitz, PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Kansas, 1251 Wescoe Hall Dr., Lawrence, KS 66045,
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31
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Matsuzaka CT, Christofolini D, Ota VK, Gadelha A, Berberian AA, Noto C, Mazzotti DR, Spindola LM, Moretti PN, Smith MAC, Melaragno MI, Belangero SI, Bressan RA. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphisms modulate working memory in individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 39:302-308. [PMID: 28273278 PMCID: PMC7111404 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2016-1987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia, related to dopaminergic dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). It is hypothesized that functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4680 of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene could mediate the relationship between cognition and dopamine activity in the PFC. Other COMT SNPs could also play a role. Methods: We evaluated the role of three COMT SNPs (rs737865, rs165599, and rs4680) in schizophrenia and their impact on three working memory tasks. For genetic association analyses, 212 individuals with schizophrenia and 257 healthy controls (HCs) were selected. The Visual Working Memory (VWM) Task, Keep Track Task, and Letter Memory Task were administered to 133 schizophrenics and 93 HCs. Results: We found a significant association of rs737865, with the GG genotype exerting a protective effect and the GA haplotype (rs4680/rs165599) exerting a risk effect for schizophrenia. COMT rs4680 AA carriers and rs737865 AA carriers scored lowest on the Keep Track Task. When the genotype*group interaction effect was evaluated, rs165599 exerted opposite effects for VWM and Keep Track task performance in patients and controls, with AA carriers scoring lowest on both tests among controls, but highest among patients. Conclusion: These data support the hypothesis that COMT polymorphisms may be associated with schizophrenia and modulate cognition in patients and controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila T Matsuzaka
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Denise Christofolini
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC (FMABC), Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Vanessa K Ota
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Disciplina de Genética, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ary Gadelha
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Arthur A Berberian
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Departamento de Psicologia Educacional, Centro Universitário Fundação Instituto de Ensino para Osasco (UNIFIEO), Osasco, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristiano Noto
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Leticia M Spindola
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Disciplina de Genética, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Patricia N Moretti
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Disciplina de Genética, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marilia A C Smith
- Disciplina de Genética, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria I Melaragno
- Disciplina de Genética, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sintia I Belangero
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Disciplina de Genética, Departamento de Morfologia e Genética, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo A Bressan
- Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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33
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Degen C, Zschocke J, Toro P, Sattler C, Wahl HW, Schönknecht P, Schröder J. The COMTp.Val158Met Polymorphism and Cognitive Performance in Adult Development, Healthy Aging and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2016; 41:27-34. [PMID: 26489081 DOI: 10.1159/000439585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of genetic polymorphisms on cognition is assumed to increase with age as losses of brain resources have to be compensated for. We investigate the relation of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)p.Val158Met polymorphism and cognitive capacity in the course of adult development, healthy aging and the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in two birth cohorts of subjects born between 1930 and 1932 or between 1950 and 1952. METHODS Thorough neuropsychological assessment was conducted in a total of 587 participants across three examination waves between 1993 and 2008. The COMT genotype was determined as a restriction fragment length polymorphism after PCR amplification and digestion with NlaIII. RESULTS Significant effects of the COMTp.Val158Met polymorphism were identified for attention and cognitive flexibility in the younger but not the older cohort. CONCLUSION These results confirm the importance of the COMTp.Val158Met genotype on tasks assessing attention and cognitive flexibility in midlife but not in healthy aging and the development of MCI. Our findings suggest that the influence of COMT changes as a function of age, decreasing from midlife to aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Degen
- Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Nilsson SR, Fejgin K, Gastambide F, Vogt MA, Kent BA, Nielsen V, Nielsen J, Gass P, Robbins TW, Saksida LM, Stensbøl TB, Tricklebank MD, Didriksen M, Bussey TJ. Assessing the Cognitive Translational Potential of a Mouse Model of the 22q11.2 Microdeletion Syndrome. Cereb Cortex 2016; 26:3991-4003. [PMID: 27507786 PMCID: PMC5028007 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A chromosomal microdeletion at the 22q11.2 locus is associated with extensive cognitive impairments, schizophrenia and other psychopathology in humans. Previous reports indicate that mouse models of the 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) may model the genetic basis of cognitive deficits relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. To assess the models usefulness for drug discovery, a novel mouse (Df(h22q11)/+) was assessed in an extensive battery of cognitive assays by partners within the NEWMEDS collaboration (Innovative Medicines Initiative Grant Agreement No. 115008). This battery included classic and touchscreen-based paradigms with recognized sensitivity and multiple attempts at reproducing previously published findings in 22q11.2DS mouse models. This work represents one of the most comprehensive reports of cognitive functioning in a transgenic animal model. In accordance with previous reports, there were non-significant trends or marginal impairment in some tasks. However, the Df(h22q11)/+ mouse did not show comprehensive deficits; no robust impairment was observed following more than 17 experiments and 14 behavioral paradigms. Thus - within the current protocols - the 22q11.2DS mouse model fails to mimic the cognitive alterations observed in human 22q11.2 deletion carriers. We suggest that the 22q11.2DS model may induce liability for cognitive dysfunction with additional "hits" being required for phenotypic expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ro Nilsson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Kim Fejgin
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Francois Gastambide
- In Vivo Pharmacology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co. Ltd, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Miriam A Vogt
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Faculty, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Brianne A Kent
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Vibeke Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Jacob Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Peter Gass
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Faculty, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Tine B Stensbøl
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Mark D Tricklebank
- In Vivo Pharmacology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co. Ltd, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Michael Didriksen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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Bernhard RM, Chaponis J, Siburian R, Gallagher P, Ransohoff K, Wikler D, Perlis RH, Greene JD. Variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is associated with differences in moral judgment. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016; 11:1872-1881. [PMID: 27497314 PMCID: PMC5141955 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsw103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 07/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Moral judgments are produced through the coordinated interaction of multiple neural systems, each of which relies on a characteristic set of neurotransmitters. Genes that produce or regulate these neurotransmitters may have distinctive influences on moral judgment. Two studies examined potential genetic influences on moral judgment using dilemmas that reliably elicit competing automatic and controlled responses, generated by dissociable neural systems. Study 1 (N = 228) examined 49 common variants (SNPs) within 10 candidate genes and identified a nominal association between a polymorphism (rs237889) of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and variation in deontological vs utilitarian moral judgment (that is, judgments favoring individual rights vs the greater good). An association was likewise observed for rs1042615 of the arginine vasopressin receptor gene (AVPR1A). Study 2 (N = 322) aimed to replicate these findings using the aforementioned dilemmas as well as a new set of structurally similar medical dilemmas. Study 2 failed to replicate the association with AVPR1A, but replicated the OXTR finding using both the original and new dilemmas. Together, these findings suggest that moral judgment is influenced by variation in the oxytocin receptor gene and, more generally, that single genetic polymorphisms can have a detectable effect on complex decision processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regan M Bernhard
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 02138, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Chaponis
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Human Genetics Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114, Boston MA, USA
| | - Richie Siburian
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Human Genetics Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114, Boston MA, USA
| | - Patience Gallagher
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Human Genetics Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114, Boston MA, USA
| | | | - Daniel Wikler
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Human Genetics Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114, Boston MA, USA.,Center for Experimental Drugs and Diagnostics, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 02114, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua D Greene
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 02138, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Congdon E, Canli T. The Endophenotype of Impulsivity: Reaching Consilience Through Behavioral, Genetic, and Neuroimaging Approaches. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 4:262-81. [PMID: 16585800 DOI: 10.1177/1534582305285980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct with implications for understanding the etiology and treatment of multiple forms of psychopathology. As a multidimensional construct, however, the processes underlying impulsivity, particularly behavioral inhibition, must be separated to allow for investigations into its neurogenetic bases. Evidence from both animal and human studies supports the role of dopamine in impulsivity, and neuroimaging research is elucidating brain regions involved in behavioral inhibition. Evidence is now emerging that suggests an interaction between dopamine system genes and frontal brain regions in underlying individual differences in behavioral inhibition. However, to reach a comprehensive understanding of the neurogenetic bases of behavioral inhibition, an appropriate framework is required. Therefore, it is proposed that by identifying intervening variables more sensitive to the effects of genetic variation, known as an endophenotype approach, we will be able to overcome many of the methodological limitations that prevent a better understanding at present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Congdon
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, NY, USA
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37
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Sutcliffe G, Harneit A, Tost H, Meyer-Lindenberg A. Neuroimaging Intermediate Phenotypes of Executive Control Dysfunction in Schizophrenia. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2016; 1:218-229. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Kos MZ, Carless MA, Peralta J, Blackburn A, Almeida M, Roalf D, Pogue-Geile MF, Prasad K, Gur RC, Nimgaonkar V, Curran JE, Duggirala R, Glahn DC, Blangero J, Gur RE, Almasy L. Exome Sequence Data From Multigenerational Families Implicate AMPA Receptor Trafficking in Neurocognitive Impairment and Schizophrenia Risk. Schizophr Bull 2016; 42:288-300. [PMID: 26405221 PMCID: PMC4753604 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbv135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by impairments in behavior, thought, and neurocognitive performance. We searched for susceptibility loci at a quantitative trait locus (QTL) previously reported for abstraction and mental flexibility (ABF), a cognitive function often compromised in schizophrenia patients and their unaffected relatives. Exome sequences were determined for 134 samples in 8 European American families from the original linkage study, including 25 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. At chromosome 5q32-35.3, we analyzed 407 protein-altering variants for association with ABF and schizophrenia status. For replication, significant, Bonferroni-corrected findings were tested against cognitive traits in Mexican American families (n = 959), as well as interrogated for schizophrenia risk using GWAS results from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC). From the gene SYNPO, rs6579797 (MAF = 0.032) shows significant associations with ABF (P = .015) and schizophrenia (P = .040), as well as jointly (P = .0027). In the Mexican American pedigrees, rs6579797 exhibits significant associations with IQ (P = .011), indicating more global effects on neurocognition. From the PGC results, other SYNPO variants were identified with near significant effects on schizophrenia risk, with a local linkage disequilibrium block displaying signatures of positive selection. A second missense variant within the QTL, rs17551608 (MAF = 0.19) in the gene WWC1, also displays a significant effect on schizophrenia in our exome sequences (P = .038). Remarkably, the protein products of SYNPO and WWC1 are interaction partners involved in AMPA receptor trafficking, a brain process implicated in synaptic plasticity. Our study reveals variants in these genes with significant effects on neurocognition and schizophrenia risk, identifying a potential pathogenic mechanism for schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Z. Kos
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX;,*To whom correspondence should be addressed; South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX 78229, US; tel: 210-585-9772, fax: 210-582-5836, e-mail:
| | - Melanie A. Carless
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
| | - Juan Peralta
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX
| | - August Blackburn
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX
| | - Marcio Almeida
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX
| | - David Roalf
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Konasale Prasad
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Joanne E. Curran
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX
| | - Ravi Duggirala
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX
| | - David C. Glahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Olin Neuropsychiatric Research Center, Yale School of Medicine, Hartford, CT
| | - John Blangero
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Laura Almasy
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, TX
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MacDonald HJ, Byblow WD. Does response inhibition have pre- and postdiagnostic utility in Parkinson's disease? J Mot Behav 2016; 47:29-45. [PMID: 25575221 DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2014.941784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (Pd) is the second most prevalent degenerative neurological condition worldwide. Improving and sustaining quality of life is an important goal for Parkinson's patients. Key areas of focus to achieve this goal include earlier diagnosis and individualized treatment. In this review the authors discuss impulse control in Pd and examine how measures of impulse control from a response inhibition task may provide clinically useful information (a) within an objective test battery to aid earlier diagnosis of Pd and (b) in postdiagnostic Pd, to better identify individuals at risk of developing impulse control disorders with dopaminergic medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley J MacDonald
- a Department of Sport and Exercise Science , University of Auckland , New Zealand
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40
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Zabelina DL, Colzato L, Beeman M, Hommel B. Dopamine and the Creative Mind: Individual Differences in Creativity Are Predicted by Interactions between Dopamine Genes DAT and COMT. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0146768. [PMID: 26783754 PMCID: PMC4718590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic (DA) system may be involved in creativity, however results of past studies are mixed. We attempted to clarify this putative relation by considering the mediofrontal and the nigrostriatal DA pathways, uniquely and in combination, and their contribution to two different measures of creativity–an abbreviated version of the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, assessing divergent thinking, and a real-world creative achievement index. We found that creativity can be predicted from interactions between genetic polymorphisms related to frontal (COMT) and striatal (DAT) DA pathways. Importantly, the Torrance test and the real-world creative achievement index related to different genetic patterns, suggesting that these two measures tap into different aspects of creativity, and depend on distinct, but interacting, DA sub-systems. Specifically, we report that successful performance on the Torrance test is linked with dopaminergic polymorphisms associated with good cognitive flexibility and medium top-down control, or with weak cognitive flexibility and strong top-down control. The latter is particularly true for the originality factor of divergent thinking. High real-world creative achievement, on the other hand, as assessed by the Creative Achievement Questionnaire, is linked with dopaminergic polymorphisms associated with weak cognitive flexibility and weak top-down control. Taken altogether, our findings support the idea that human creativity relies on dopamine, and on the interaction between frontal and striatal dopaminergic pathways in particular. This interaction may help clarify some apparent inconsistencies in the prior literature, especially if the genes and/or creativity measures were analyzed separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darya L. Zabelina
- Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lorenza Colzato
- Leiden University, Institute for Psychological Research & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Mark Beeman
- Psychology Department, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Bernhard Hommel
- Leiden University, Institute for Psychological Research & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
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41
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Collins LM, Williams-Gray CH. The Genetic Basis of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Parkinson's Disease. Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:89. [PMID: 27242557 PMCID: PMC4873499 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is a common feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) with mild cognitive impairment affecting around a quarter of patients in the early stages of their disease, and approximately half developing dementia by 10 years from diagnosis. However, the pattern of cognitive impairments and their speed of evolution vary markedly between individuals. While some of this variability may relate to extrinsic factors and comorbidities, inherited genetic heterogeneity is also known to play an important role. A number of common genetic variants have been identified, which contribute to cognitive function in PD, including variants in catechol-O-methyltransferase, microtubule-associated protein tau, and apolipoprotein E. Furthermore, rarer mutations in glucocerebrosidase and α-synuclein and are strongly associated with dementia risk in PD. This review explores the functional impact of these variants on cognition in PD and discusses how such genotype-phenotype associations provide a window into the mechanistic basis of cognitive heterogeneity in this disorder. This has consequent implications for the development of much more targeted therapeutic strategies for cognitive symptoms in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy M Collins
- John Van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK
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42
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López-García P, Young L, Marín J, Molero P, Ortuño F. Influencia del polimorfismo Val158Met COMT en el procesamiento de contexto en pacientes del espectro de la esquizofrenia y en sus familiares. Schizophr Res Cogn 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2015.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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López-García P, Young L, Marín J, Molero P, Ortuño F. The impact of the Val158Met COMT polymorphism on context processing in patients on the schizophrenia spectrum and their relatives. Schizophr Res Cogn 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scog.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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Posterior versus frontal theta activity indexes approach motivation during affective autobiographical memories. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2015; 15:132-44. [PMID: 25245178 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-014-0322-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Research has recently identified a promising neurophysiological marker of approach motivation involving posterior versus frontal (Pz - Fz) electroencephalographic (EEG) theta activity PFTA; Wacker, Chavanon, & Stemmler (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 91:171-187, 2006). Preliminary evidence indicated that PFTA is modulated by dopaminergic activity, thought to underlie appetitive tendencies, and that it indexes self-reported behavioral activation system (BAS) sensitivity. To date, research has largely relied on resting indices of PFTA and has yet to examine the relationship between PFTA and specific approach-related affective states generated by emotionally salient laboratory tasks. Accordingly, the present study evaluated PFTA both at rest and during an ecologically valid autobiographical memory task in which participants recalled personal life experiences involving a goal-striving, an anxious apprehension, a low-point (i.e., difficult), and a neutral memory while EEG data were recorded. In line with prediction, elevated PFTA was observed during both goal-striving and anxious apprehension autobiographical memories. PFTA was particularly elevated during anxious apprehension memories coded as being high on approach-related tendencies. Elevated PFTA during anxious apprehension is consistent with a growing literature indicating that anxious apprehension is associated with elevated approach- and reward-related brain function. Lastly, elevated resting PFTA was positively correlated with self-reported trait anger, a negatively valenced emotion characterized by approach-related tendencies. These results have implications for (a) enhancing our understanding of the neurophysiology of approach-related emotions, (b) establishing PFTA as an index of appetitive motivational states, and (c) clarifying our understanding of the neurophysiology and approach-related tendencies associated with both anxious apprehension and anger.
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Isbell E, Wray AH, Neville HJ. Individual differences in neural mechanisms of selective auditory attention in preschoolers from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds: an event-related potentials study. Dev Sci 2015; 19:865-880. [PMID: 26234822 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Selective attention, the ability to enhance the processing of particular input while suppressing the information from other concurrent sources, has been postulated to be a foundational skill for learning and academic achievement. The neural mechanisms of this foundational ability are both vulnerable and enhanceable in children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) families. In the current study, we assessed individual differences in neural mechanisms of this malleable brain function in children from lower SES families. Specifically, we investigated the extent to which individual differences in neural mechanisms of selective auditory attention accounted for variability in nonverbal cognitive abilities in lower SES preschoolers. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) during a dichotic listening task and administered nonverbal IQ tasks to 124 lower SES children (77 females) between the ages of 40 and 67 months. The attention effect, i.e., the difference in ERP mean amplitudes elicited by identical probes embedded in stories when attended versus unattended, was significantly correlated with nonverbal IQ scores. Larger, more positive attention effects over the anterior and central electrode locations were associated with superior nonverbal IQ performance. Our findings provide initial evidence for prominent individual differences in neural indices of selective attention in lower SES children. Furthermore, our results indicate a noteworthy relationship between neural mechanisms of selective attention and nonverbal IQ performance in lower SES preschoolers. These findings provide the basis for future research to identify the factors that contribute to such individual differences in neural mechanisms of selective attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Isbell
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, USA.
| | - Amanda Hampton Wray
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, USA
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Variation in Dopamine D2 and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor Genes is Associated with Working Memory Processing and Response to Treatment with Antipsychotics. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:1600-8. [PMID: 25563748 PMCID: PMC4915265 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors contribute to modulate prefrontal cortical physiology and response to treatment with antipsychotics in schizophrenia. Similarly, functional variation in the genes encoding these receptors is also associated with these phenotypes. In particular, the DRD2 rs1076560 T allele predicts a lower ratio of expression of D2 short/long isoforms, suboptimal working memory processing, and better response to antipsychotic treatment compared with the G allele. Furthermore, the HTR2A T allele is associated with lower 5-HT2A expression, impaired working memory processing, and poorer response to antipsychotics compared with the C allele. Here, we investigated in healthy subjects whether these functional polymorphisms have a combined effect on prefrontal cortical physiology and related cognitive behavior linked to schizophrenia as well as on response to treatment with second-generation antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia. In a total sample of 620 healthy subjects, we found that subjects with the rs1076560 T and rs6314 T alleles have greater fMRI prefrontal activity during working memory. Similar results were obtained within the attentional domain. Also, the concomitant presence of the rs1076560 T/rs6314 T alleles also predicted lower behavioral accuracy during working memory. Moreover, we found that rs1076560 T carrier/rs6314 CC individuals had better responses to antipsychotic treatment in two independent samples of patients with schizophrenia (n=63 and n=54, respectively), consistent with the previously reported separate effects of these genotypes. These results indicate that DRD2 and HTR2A genetic variants together modulate physiological prefrontal efficiency during working memory and also modulate the response to antipsychotics. Therefore, these results suggest that further exploration is needed to better understand the clinical consequences of these genotype-phenotype relationships.
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47
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Blanco NJ, Love BC, Cooper JA, McGeary JE, Knopik VS, Maddox WT. A frontal dopamine system for reflective exploratory behavior. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2015; 123:84-91. [PMID: 26004676 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Revised: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The COMT gene modulates dopamine levels in prefrontal cortex with Met allele carriers having lower COMT enzyme activity and, therefore, higher dopamine levels compared to Val/Val homozygotes. Concordantly, Val/Val homozygotes tend to perform worse and display increased (interpreted as inefficient) frontal activation in certain cognitive tasks. In a sample of 209 participants, we test the hypothesis that Met carriers will be advantaged in a decision-making task that demands sequencing exploratory and exploitive choices to minimize uncertainty about the reward structure in the environment. Previous work suggests that optimal performance depends on limited cognitive resources supported by prefrontal systems. If so, Met carriers should outperform Val/Val homozygotes, particularly under dual-task conditions that tax limited cognitive resources. In accord with these a priori predictions, Met carriers were more resilient in the face of cognitive load, continuing to explore in a sophisticated manner. We fit computational models that embody sophisticated reflective and simple reflexive strategies to further evaluate participants' exploration behavior. The Ideal Actor model reflectively updates beliefs and plans ahead, taking into account the information gained by each choice and making choices that maximize long-term payoffs. In contrast, the Naïve Reinforcement Learning (RL) model instantiates the reflexive account of choice, in which the values of actions are based only on the rewards experienced so far. Its beliefs are updated reflexively in response to observed changes in rewards. Converging with standard analyses, Met carriers were best characterized by the Ideal Actor model, whereas Val/Val homozygotes were best characterized by the Naive RL model, particularly under dual-task conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel J Blanco
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 78712, United States.
| | - Bradley C Love
- Experimental Psychology, University College London, WC1H OAP, UK
| | - Jessica A Cooper
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 78712, United States
| | - John E McGeary
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 02903, United States; Division of Behavioral Genetics, Rhode Island Hospital, 02903, United States
| | - Valerie S Knopik
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 02903, United States; Division of Behavioral Genetics, Rhode Island Hospital, 02903, United States
| | - W Todd Maddox
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 78712, United States
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Kondo HM, Nomura M, Kashino M. Different Roles of COMT and HTR2A Genotypes in Working Memory Subprocesses. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126511. [PMID: 25974269 PMCID: PMC4431742 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory is linked to the functions of the frontal areas, in which neural activity is mediated by dopaminergic and serotonergic tones. However, there is no consensus regarding how the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems influence working memory subprocesses. The present study used an imaging genetics approach to examine the interaction between neurochemical functions and working memory performance. We focused on functional polymorphisms of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met and serotonin 2A receptor (HTR2A) -1438G/A genes, and devised a delayed recognition task to isolate the encoding, retention, and retrieval processes for visual information. The COMT genotypes affected recognition accuracy, whereas the HTR2A genotypes were associated with recognition response times. Activations specifically related to working memory were found in the right frontal and parietal areas, such as the middle frontal gyrus (MFG), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and inferior parietal lobule (IPL). MFG and ACC/IPL activations were sensitive to differences between the COMT genotypes and between the HTR2A genotypes, respectively. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that stronger connectivity in the ACC-MFG and ACC-IFG networks is related to better task performance. The behavioral and fMRI results suggest that the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems play different roles in the working memory subprocesses and modulate closer cooperation between lateral and medial frontal activations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirohito M. Kondo
- Human Information Science Laboratory, NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243–0198, Japan
- Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565–0871, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Michio Nomura
- Division of Cognitive Psychology in Education, Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606–8501, Japan
| | - Makio Kashino
- Human Information Science Laboratory, NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243–0198, Japan
- Department of Information Processing, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa 226–8503, Japan
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Moskovitz J, Walss-Bass C, Cruz DA, Thompson PM, Hairston J, Bortolato M. The enzymatic activities of brain catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and methionine sulphoxide reductase are correlated in a COMT Val/Met allele-dependent fashion. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2015; 41:941-51. [PMID: 25640985 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays a primary role in the metabolism of catecholamine neurotransmitters and is implicated in the modulation of cognitive and emotional responses. The best characterized single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the COMT gene consists of a valine (Val)-to-methionine (Met) substitution at codon 108/158. The Met-containing variant confers a marked reduction in COMT catalytic activity. We recently showed that the activity of recombinant COMT is positively regulated by the enzyme Met sulphoxide reductase (MSR), which counters the oxidation of Met residues of proteins. The current study was designed to assess whether brain COMT activity may be correlated to MSR in an allele-dependent fashion. METHODS COMT and MSR activities were measured from post-mortem samples of prefrontal cortices, striata and cerebella of 32 subjects by using catechol and dabsyl-Met sulphoxide as substrates, respectively. Allelic discrimination of COMT Val(108/185) Met SNP was performed using the Taqman 5'nuclease assay. RESULTS Our studies revealed that, in homozygous carriers of Met, but not Val alleles, the activity of COMT and MSR was significantly correlated throughout all tested brain regions. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the reduced enzymatic activity of Met-containing COMT may be secondary to Met sulphoxidation and point to MSR as a key molecular determinant for the modulation of COMT activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackob Moskovitz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
| | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, USA
| | - Dianne A Cruz
- Southwest Brain Bank, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
| | - Peter M Thompson
- Southwest Brain Bank, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
| | - Jenaqua Hairston
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
| | - Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, USA
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Papazacharias A, Taurisano P, Fazio L, Gelao B, Di Giorgio A, Lo Bianco L, Quarto T, Mancini M, Porcelli A, Romano R, Caforio G, Todarello O, Popolizio T, Blasi G, Bertolino A. Aversive emotional interference impacts behavior and prefronto-striatal activity during increasing attentional control. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:97. [PMID: 25954172 PMCID: PMC4404908 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Earlier studies have demonstrated that emotional stimulation modulates attentional processing during goal-directed behavior and related activity of a brain network including the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the caudate nucleus. However, it is not clear how emotional interference modulates behavior and brain physiology during variation in attentional control, a relevant question for everyday life situations in which both emotional stimuli and cognitive load vary. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of negative emotions on behavior and activity in IFG and caudate nucleus during increasing levels of attentional control. Twenty two healthy subjects underwent event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a task in which neutral or fearful facial expressions were displayed before stimuli eliciting increasing levels of attentional control processing. Results indicated slower reaction time (RT) and greater right IFG activity when fearful compared with neutral facial expressions preceded the low level of attentional control. On the other hand, fearful facial expressions preceding the intermediate level of attentional control elicited faster behavioral responses and greater activity in the right and left sides of the caudate. Finally, correlation analysis indicated a relationship between behavioral correlates of attentional control after emotional interference and right IFG activity. All together, these results suggest that the impact of negative emotions on attentional processing is differentially elicited at the behavioral and physiological levels as a function of cognitive load.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolos Papazacharias
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Paolo Taurisano
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Leonardo Fazio
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Barbara Gelao
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | | | - Luciana Lo Bianco
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Tiziana Quarto
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy ; Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Institute of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marina Mancini
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Annamaria Porcelli
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Raffaella Romano
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Grazia Caforio
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale, Policlinico di Bari Bari, Italy
| | - Orlando Todarello
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy
| | - Teresa Popolizio
- IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", S. Giovanni Rotondo Italy
| | - Giuseppe Blasi
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Consorziale, Policlinico di Bari Bari, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro" Bari, Italy ; pRED, NORD DTA Neuroscience, Hoffman-La Roche Ltd Basel, Switzerland
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