Dopamine markers and general cognitive ability.
Because general cognitive ability (g) is among the most heritable behavioural traits, it is a reasonable target for a search for quantitative trait loci (QTLs). We used a selected-extremes design to test candidate genes for allelic association with g. Polymorphisms in four genes in the dopamine system (DRD2, DRD3, DRD4, DAT1) were genotyped for 51 high g children with IQ scores > 130 and for 51 average g control children. No significant allelic or genotypic differences were found between the high g and average g groups for these markers of the dopamine system, even though the selected-extremes design provides power to detect QTL associations that involve a relative risk of about 1.5.
Ball
D
D
Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London, UK.
Hill
L
L
Eley
T C
TC
Chorney
M J
MJ
Chorney
K
K
Thompson
L A
LA
Detterman
D K
DK
Benbow
C
C
Lubinski
D
D
Owen
M
M
McGuffin
P
P
Plomin
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D015415:Biomarkers; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004298:Dopamine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable
D015415:Biomarkers; D004247:DNA; D004298:Dopamine