Serotonin Transporter Genetic Variation is Differentially Associated with Reflexive- and Reflective-Optimal Learning.

ABSTRACT: Learning to respond optimally under a broad array of environmental conditions is a critical brain function that requires engaging the cognitive systems that are optimal for solving the task at hand. Serotonin is implicated in learning and decision-making, but the specific functions of serotonin in system-level cognitive control remain unclear. Across 3 studies, we examined the influence of a polymorphism within the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR polymorphism in SLC6A4) on participants' ability to engage the task appropriate cognitive system when the reflexive (Experiments 1 and 2) or the reflective (Experiment 3) system was optimal. Critically, we utilized a learning task for which all aspects remain fixed with only the nature of the optimal cognitive processin

SUBMITTER: Maddox WT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6169470 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature