Dopamine transporter 3'UTR VNTR genotype is a marker of performance on executive function tasks in children with ADHD.
BACKGROUND
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous disorder from both clinical and pathogenic viewpoints. Executive function deficits are considered among the most important pathogenic pathways leading to ADHD and may index part of the heterogeneity in this disorder.


METHODS
To investigate the relationship between the dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) 3'-UTR VNTR genotypes and executive function in children with ADHD, 196 children diagnosed with ADHD were sequentially recruited, genotyped, and tested using a battery of three neuropsychological tests aimed at assessing the different aspects of executive functioning.


RESULTS
Taking into account a correction for multiple comparisons, the main finding of this study is a significant genotype effect on performances on the Tower of London (F = 6.902, p = 0.009) and on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Third Edition (WISC-III) Freedom From Distractibility Index (F = 7.125, p = 0.008), as well as strong trends on Self Ordered Pointing Task error scores (F = 4,996 p = 0.026) and WISC-III Digit Span performance (F = 6.28, p = 0.023). Children with the 9/10 genotype exhibited, on average, a poorer performance on all four measures compared to children with the 10/10 genotype. No effect of genotype on Wisconsin Card Sorting Test measures of performance was detected.


CONCLUSIONS
Results are compatible with the view that SLC6A3 genotype may modulate components of executive function performance in children with ADHD.
Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. sherif.karama@mail.mcgill.ca
Sherif
S
Karama
Natalie
N
Grizenko
Edmund
E
Sonuga-Barke
Alysa
A
Doyle
Joseph
J
Biederman
Valentin
V
Mbekou
Anna
A
Polotskaia
Marina
M
Ter-Stepanian
Rosherrie
R
De Guzman
Johanne
J
Bellingham
Sarojini
S
Sengupta
Ridha
R
Joober
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D003710:Demography; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D011594:Psychometrics; D014888:Wechsler Scales
D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; C493214:SLC6A3 protein, human