Predicted DRD4 prefrontal gene expression moderates snack intake and stress perception in response to the environment in adolescents.

ABSTRACT: Body weight is substantially determined by eating behaviors, which are themselves driven by biological factors interacting with the environment. Previous studies in young children suggest that genetic influences on dopamine function may confer differential susceptibility to the environment in such a way that increases behavioral obesity risk in a lower socioeconomic status (SES) environment but decreases it in a higher SES environment. We aimed to test if this pattern of effect could also be observed in adolescence, another critical period for development in brain and behavior, using a novel measure of predicted expression of the dopamine receptor 4 (DRD4) gene in prefrontal cortex. In a sample of 76 adolescents (37 boys and 39 girls from Baltimore, Maryland/US, aged 14-18y), we estimated

SUBMITTER: Portella AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7319347 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature