title: Genetic contributions of the serotonin transporter to social learning of fear and economic decision making.
abstract: Serotonin (5-HT) modulates emotional and cognitive functions such as fear conditioning (FC) and decision making. This study investigated the effects of a functional polymorphism in the regulatory region (5-HTTLPR) of the human 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) gene on observational FC, risk taking and susceptibility to framing in decision making under uncertainty, as well as multidimensional anxiety and autonomic control of the heart in healthy volunteers. The present results indicate that in comparison to the homozygotes for the long (l) version of 5-HTTLPR, the carriers of the short (s) version display enhanced observational FC, reduced financial risk taking and increased susceptibility to framing in economic decision making. We also found that s-carriers have increased trait anxiety due to threat in social evaluation, and ambiguous threat perception. In addition, s-carriers also show reduced autonomic control over the heart, and a pattern of reduced vagal tone and increased sympathetic activity in comparison to l-homozygotes. This is the first genetic study that identifies the association of a functional polymorphism in a key neurotransmitter-related gene with complex social-emotional and cognitive processes. The present set of results suggests an endophenotype of anxiety disorders, characterized by enhanced social learning of fear, impaired decision making and dysfunctional autonomic activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Liviu G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Crişan
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pana
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vulturar
authors.forename: Renata M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Heilman
authors.forename: Raluca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Szekely
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Druğa
authors.forename: Nicolae
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dragoş
authors.forename: Andrei C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Miu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004467:Economics; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012119:Respiration / Q000235:genetics; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012938:Social Perception; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins