title: Variations in the serotonin-transporter gene are associated with attention bias patterns to positive and negative emotion faces.
abstract: Both attention biases to threat and a serotonin-transporter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) have been linked to heightened neural activation to threat and the emergence of anxiety. The short allele of 5-HTTLPR may act via its effect on neurotransmitter availability, while attention biases shape broad patterns of cognitive processing. We examined individual differences in attention bias to emotion faces as a function of 5-HTTLPR genotype. Adolescents (N=117) were classified for presumed SLC6A4 expression based on 5-HTTLPR-low (SS, SL(G), or L(G)L(G)), intermediate (SL(A) or L(A)L(G)), or high (L(A)L(A)). Participants completed the dot-probe task, measuring attention biases toward or away from angry and happy faces. Biases for angry faces increased with the genotype-predicted neurotransmission levels (low>intermediate>high). The reverse pattern was evident for happy faces. The data indicate a linear relation between 5-HTTLPR allelic status and attention biases to emotion, demonstrating a genetic mechanism for biased attention using ecologically valid stimuli that target socioemotional adaptation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, United States. kperezed@gmu.edu
authors.forename: Koraly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pérez-Edgar
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bar-Haim
authors.forename: Jennifer Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McDermott
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gorodetsky
authors.forename: Colin A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hodgkinson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.forename: Nathan A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D015982:Bias; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000235:genetics; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins