Differential effects of 5-HTTLPR and DRD2/ANKK1 polymorphisms on electrocortical measures of error and feedback processing in children.
OBJECTIVE
Applying a probabilistic learning task we examined the influence of functional polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) and the D2 dopamine receptor gene (DRD2/ANKK1) on error and feedback processing by measuring electrocortical event-related potentials (ERPs) in 10- to 12-year-old children.


METHODS
Three pairwise group comparisons were conducted on four distinguishable ERP components, two of which were response-related, the other two feedback-related.


RESULTS
Our ERP data revealed that children carrying the short (S) variant of the 5-HTTLPR gene process their errors more intensively while exhibiting less habituation to negative feedback with task progression compared to children who are homozygous for the 5-HTTLPR long (L) variant. Children possessing the Taq1 A variant of the DRD2 gene showed greater sensitivity to negative feedback and, as opposed to Taq1 A non-carriers, a diminishing sensitivity to positive feedback with task progression. Regarding error processing, children possessing both the S variant of the 5-HTTLPR and the Taq1 A allele of the DRD2 gene showed a picture quite similar to that of the 5-HTTLPR S carriers and regarding feedback processing quite similar to that of the DRD2 Taq1 A carriers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the hypotheses that the 5-HTTLPR S allele may predispose to (performance) anxiety, while DRD2 Taq1 A allele may predispose to the reward deficiency syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
The results may further enhance our understanding of known associations between these polymorphisms and psychopathology.
Althaus
Monika
M
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. m.althaus@accare.nl
Groen
Yvonne
Y
Wijers
Albertus A
AA
Mulder
Lambertus J M
LJ
Minderaa
Ruud B
RB
Kema
Ido P
IP
Dijck
Janneke D A
JD
Hartman
Catharina A
CA
Hoekstra
Pieter J
PJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000235:genetics*; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011337:Probability Learning; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000235:genetics; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors
D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins