title: The D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) gene and family stress; interactive effects on cognitive functions in children.
abstract: TaqI A D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) alleles, family stress, and cognitive markers, including visuospatial ability (Benton's Line Orientation) and event-related potentials (P300 amplitude and latency), were obtained in preadolescent boys of alcoholic and nonalcoholic fathers. In the presence of the DRD2 minor allele (A1+), the Family Stress score negatively correlated with the Line Orientation score and P300 amplitude. No significant correlations were found in boys lacking this allele (A1-). The interaction of the A1+ allele and the Family Stress score produced significant regression coefficients for both Line Orientation score (p = .002) and P300 amplitude (p = .04). Together, these two cognitive markers account for 37% of the variance in the Family Stress score of 47 A1 allele boys (p = .0002) but less than 1% in 71 A1- allele boys (p > .9). This provides the first evidence of a specific gene-environment interaction involving human cognitive functioning.
authors.affiliation: Alcohol Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles 90024-1759, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Noble
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000235:genetics; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2