Dopamine receptor D₄ (DRD₄) polymorphisms with reduced functional potency intensify atrophy in syndrome-specific sites of frontotemporal dementia.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We aimed to understand the impact of dopamine receptor D₄ (DRD₄) polymorphisms on neurodegeneration in patients with dementia. We hypothesized that DRD₄dampened-variants with reduced functional potency would be associated with greater atrophy in regions with higher receptor density. Given that DRD₄ is concentrated in anterior regions of the limbic and cortical forebrain we anticipated genotype effects in patients with a more rostral pattern of neurodegeneration.

Methods

337 subjects, including healthy controls, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) underwent genotyping, structural MRI, and cognitive/behavioral testing. We conducted whole-brain voxel-based morphometry to examine the relat

SUBMITTER: Butler PM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6475809 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature