Am J Psychiatry 161:125-132, January 2004
© 2004 American Psychiatric Association
Genetic and Neurochemical Modulation of Prefrontal Cognitive Functions in Children
Adele Diamond, Ph.D.,
Lisa Briand, B.S.,
John Fossella, Ph.D., and
Lorrie Gehlbach, Ph.D.
OBJECTIVE: The catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene affects how long dopamine acts in the prefrontal cortex. The Methionine polymorphism, which results in a slower breakdown of prefrontal dopamine, is associated with better adult prefrontal cortex function. The authors investigated the relation between the COMT gene polymorphism and cognitive performance in children. METHOD: Children were tested on cognitive tasks that depend on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and seem to be sensitive to the level of dopamine there (dots-mixed task), depend on that neural region but appear insensitive to its dopamine content (self-ordered pointing), and depend on other neural systems (recall memory and mental rotation). After data collection, cheek swabs were obtained from all children. DNA was extracted and genotyped for the COMT gene with polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Children who were homozygous for the Methionine polymorphism performed significantly better on the dots-mixed task but not on others. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide an existence proof that genotypic differences can relate to differences in cognitive performance in typically developing children. The authors achieved a level of specificity never previously attempted; the COMT polymorphism was found to be differentially related to performance on tasks linked to the same prefrontal region by whether cognitive requirements of the tasks were sensitive to the level of dopamine found. These results challenge accepted notions that since dopamine is important for some cognitive functions dependent on the prefrontal cortex, it is important for all. The differential sensitivity of distinct cognitive abilities to specific neurotransmitters may make possible targeted pharmacological interventions.
Related Article:
-
In This Issue
Am J Psychiatry 2004 161: A64.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
|
|
 
Y. Takarae, L. Schmidt, F. Tassone, and T. J. Simon
Catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphism modulates cognitive control in children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci,
March 1, 2009;
9(1):
83 - 90.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Opgen-Rhein, A. H. Neuhaus, C. Urbanek, E. Hahn, T. Sander, and M. Dettling
Executive Attention in Schizophrenic Males and the Impact of COMT Val108/158Met Genotype on Performance on the Attention Network Test
Schizophr Bull,
November 1, 2008;
34(6):
1231 - 1239.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. J. Bishop, J. Fossella, C. J. Croucher, and J. Duncan
COMT val158met Genotype Affects Recruitment of Neural Mechanisms Supporting Fluid Intelligence
Cereb Cortex,
September 1, 2008;
18(9):
2132 - 2140.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Caspi, K. Langley, B. Milne, T. E. Moffitt, M. O'Donovan, M. J. Owen, M. Polo Tomas, R. Poulton, M. Rutter, A. Taylor, et al.
A Replicated Molecular Genetic Basis for Subtyping Antisocial Behavior in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Arch Gen Psychiatry,
February 1, 2008;
65(2):
203 - 210.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Diamond
Consequences of Variations in Genes that affect Dopamine in Prefrontal Cortex
Cereb Cortex,
September 1, 2007;
17(suppl_1):
i161 - i170.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
H.-Y. Tan, J. H. Callicott, and D. R. Weinberger
Dysfunctional and Compensatory Prefrontal Cortical Systems, Genes and the Pathogenesis of Schizophrenia
Cereb Cortex,
September 1, 2007;
17(suppl_1):
i171 - i181.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. H. Barnett, J. Heron, S. M. Ring, J. Golding, D. Goldman, K. Xu, and P. B. Jones
Gender-Specific Effects of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Val108/158Met Polymorphism on Cognitive Function in Children
Am J Psychiatry,
January 1, 2007;
164(1):
142 - 149.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. M. Drabant, A. R. Hariri, A. Meyer-Lindenberg, K. E. Munoz, V. S. Mattay, B. S. Kolachana, M. F. Egan, and D. R. Weinberger
Catechol O-methyltransferase Val158Met Genotype and Neural Mechanisms Related to Affective Arousal and Regulation
Arch Gen Psychiatry,
December 1, 2006;
63(12):
1396 - 1406.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Thapar, K. Langley, T. Fowler, F. Rice, D. Turic, N. Whittinger, J. Aggleton, M. Van den Bree, M. Owen, and M. O'Donovan
Catechol O-Methyltransferase Gene Variant and Birth Weight Predict Early-Onset Antisocial Behavior in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Arch Gen Psychiatry,
November 1, 2005;
62(11):
1275 - 1278.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Holmboe and M. H. Johnson
Educating executive attention
PNAS,
October 11, 2005;
102(41):
14479 - 14480.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. R. Rueda, M. K. Rothbart, B. D. McCandliss, L. Saccomanno, and M. I. Posner
From The Cover: Training, maturation, and genetic influences on the development of executive attention
PNAS,
October 11, 2005;
102(41):
14931 - 14936.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
|
|
Get information about faster international access.
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2004
American Psychiatric Association.
All rights reserved.
Home
| Search
| Current Issue
| Past Issues
| Subscribe
| All APPI Journals
| Help
| Contact Us
|
