An association study of the genetic polymorphisms in 13 neural plasticity-related genes with semantic and episodic memories

J Mol Neurosci. 2012 Feb;46(2):352-61. doi: 10.1007/s12031-011-9592-5. Epub 2011 Jul 5.

Abstract

Semantic and episodic memories were two different attributes of long-term memory. In the past few years, plenty of physiological evidence has indicated that neural plasticity is involved in the formation of long-term memory. In the present study, we hypothesized that some functional variants of neural plasticity-related genes were related to episodic and semantic memories. To confirm this hypothesis, we examined the relationship of 13 plasticity-related genes with episodic and semantic memories. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in semantic memory scores among the three genotype groups of T267C in 5-HT ( 6 ) (χ (2) = 16.638, p = 0.0002). However, the functional variations in BDNF, COMT, DBH, DRD ( 2 ), DRD ( 3 ), DRD ( 4 ), MAOA, TPH ( 2 ), 5-HT ( 2A ), GRM ( 1 ), and GRIN2B had no observable effects on the memories. Our preliminary results confirm the hypothesis that a small number of functional variants of the neural plasticity-related genes, such as T267C in 5-HT ( 6 ), play important roles in human specific memory.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Asian People / genetics
  • Female
  • Genetic Association Studies*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory, Episodic*
  • Memory, Long-Term*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology
  • Neuronal Plasticity / genetics*
  • Neurotransmitter Agents / metabolism
  • Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Receptors, Neurotransmitter / metabolism
  • Receptors, Serotonin / genetics*
  • Receptors, Serotonin / physiology
  • Recognition, Psychology
  • Sampling Studies
  • Verbal Learning
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Neurotransmitter Agents
  • Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins
  • Receptors, Neurotransmitter
  • Receptors, Serotonin
  • serotonin 6 receptor