The modulatory influence of the functional COMT Val158Met polymorphism on lexical decisions and semantic priming.

ABSTRACT: The role of the prefrontal Cortex (PFC) in higher cognitive functions - including working memory, conflict resolution, set shifting and semantic processing - has been demonstrated unequivocally. Despite the great heterogeneity among tasks measuring these phenotypes, due in part to the different cognitive sub-processes implied and the specificity of the stimulus material used, there is agreement that all of these tasks recruit an executive control system located in the PFC. On a biochemical level it is known that the dopaminergic system plays an important role in executive control functions. Evidence comes from molecular genetics relating the functional COMT Val158Met polymorphism to working memory and set shifting. In order determine whether this pattern of findings generalises to linguist

SUBMITTER: Reuter M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2737487 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature