Influences of a DRD2 polymorphism on updating of long-term memory representations and caudate BOLD activity: magnification in agingShow others and affiliations
2015 (English)In: Human Brain Mapping, ISSN 1065-9471, E-ISSN 1097-0193, Vol. 36, no 4, p. 1325-1334Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
A number of genetic polymorphisms are related to individual differences in cognitive performance. Striatal dopamine (DA) functions, associated with cognitive performance, are linked to the TaqIA polymorphism of the DRD2/ANKK1 gene. In humans, presence of an A1 allele of the DRD2/ANKK1-TaqIA polymorphism is related to reduced density of striatal DA D2 receptors. The resource-modulation hypothesis assumes that aging-related losses of neurochemical and structural brain resources modulate the extent to which genetic variations affect cognitive functioning. Here, we tested this hypothesis using functional MRI during long-term memory (LTM) updating in younger and older carriers and noncarriers of the A1-allele of the TaqIa polymorphism. We demonstrate that older A1-carriers have worse memory performance, specifically during LTM updating, compared to noncarriers. Moreover, A1-carriers exhibited less blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activation in left caudate nucleus, a region critical to updating. This effect was only seen in older adults, suggesting magnification of genetic effects on functional brain activity in aging. Further, a positive relationship between caudate BOLD activation and updating performance among non-A1 carriers indicated that caudate activation was behaviorally relevant. These results demonstrate a link between the DRD2/ANKK1-TaqIA polymorphism and neurocognitive deficits related to LTM updating, and provide novel evidence that this effect is magnified in aging. Hum Brain Mapp 36:1325-1334, 2015.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
John Wiley & Sons, 2015. Vol. 36, no 4, p. 1325-1334
Keywords [en]
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), memory, aging, dopamine, DRD2, updating, striatum
National Category
Neurosciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-87569DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22704ISI: 000351737800007PubMedID: 25486867Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84925243319OAI: oai:DiVA.org:oru-87569DiVA, id: diva2:1503545
Funder
Swedish Research Council
Note
Funding Agencies:
Swedish Brain Power
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
af Jochnick Foundation
2020-11-242020-11-242020-12-11Bibliographically approved