Genetic variations in dopamine and inhibitory control: Lack of influence on action restraint

•We examined genetic influences on action restraint, an aspect of inhibitory control.•Three common and functional polymorphisms on dopaminergic genes were explored.•322 non-clinical individuals were genotyped and completed a Go/No-Go task.•We did not observe genotype effects on fundamental measures...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavioural brain research 2014-07, Vol.267, p.12-16
Main Authors: Gurvich, C.T., Rossell, S.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
BRAINnet
Catechol O-Methyltransferase - genetics
Comt
DAT1
Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics
DRD2
Executive Function
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genotype
Genotyping Techniques
Go/No-Go
Humans
Inhibition (Psychology)
Inhibitory control
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychomotor Performance
Reaction Time
Receptors, Dopamine D2 - genetics
Task Performance and Analysis
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
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Summary:•We examined genetic influences on action restraint, an aspect of inhibitory control.•Three common and functional polymorphisms on dopaminergic genes were explored.•322 non-clinical individuals were genotyped and completed a Go/No-Go task.•We did not observe genotype effects on fundamental measures of response inhibition.•Findings reinforce a dissociation between the stop-signal and Go/No-Go tasks. Failures of inhibitory control can severely affect everyday life in healthy individuals and represent a common feature of many neuropsychiatric conditions, particularly disorders with dopaminergic disturbances implicated. This study's aim was to examine the interacting influences of three common and functional gene variants that influence dopaminergic pathways on an aspect of inhibitory control (action restraint). Three hundred and twenty two healthy adults were selected from an international consortium linked to Brain Research and Integrative Neuroscience (BRAINnet). DNA was extracted from cheek swab samples and participants were genotyped for the Val158Met single nucleotide polymorphism on COMT (rs 4680), C957T on DRD2 (rs 6277) and the 40bp variable number of tandem repeat on the DAT1 (SLC6A3, 10/10 vs 9+). Response inhibition was measured using a computerised Go/No-Go task. Main effects and interactions between genotypes were explored. We did not observe a genotype effect on fundamental measures of response inhibition, i.e. reaction time (RT) and commission errors. RT variability was significantly increased in DRD2 C957T heterozygotes. In conclusion, this large, non-clinical study reveals that the selected genetic polymorphisms regulating dopamine (COMT, DRD2 and DAT1) do not influence one aspect of response inhibition, action restraint, as measured by the Go/No-Go task, reinforcing the neuropharmacological dissociation between stop-signal and Go/No-Go tasks. Genetic variation in striatal dopamine may, however, contribute to intraindividual RT variability.
ISSN:0166-4328
1872-7549
DOI:10.1016/j.bbr.2014.03.015