Polymorphisms in dopamine system genes are associated with individual differences in attention in infancy.

ABSTRACT: Knowledge about the functional status of the frontal cortex in infancy is limited. This study investigated the effects of polymorphisms in four dopamine system genes on performance in a task developed to assess such functioning, the Freeze-Frame task, at 9 months of age. Polymorphisms in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) genes are likely to impact directly on the functioning of the frontal cortex, whereas polymorphisms in the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) and dopamine transporter (DAT1) genes might influence frontal cortex functioning indirectly via strong frontostriatal connections. A significant effect of the COMT valine(1)methionine (Val 158 Met) polymorphism was found. Infants with the Met/Met genotype were significantly less distractible than in

SUBMITTER: Holmboe K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3276838 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature