Affect-modulated startle reflex and dopamine D4 receptor gene variation.
The affect-modulated acoustic startle response (ASR) might be a promising indicator for emotional reactivity as an endophenotype (an intermediate level between genetics and phenotypes), which we expected to be associated with the DRD4 polymorphism. Therefore, the affect-modulated ASR was examined in 114 healthy volunteers, 74 lacking the DRD4 7R allele (7R-absent group) and 41 with at least one DRD4 7R allele (7R group). Results revealed the well-known affect-modulated ASR in the 7R-absent group. The 7R group, however, was characterized by a blunted affect-modulated ASR, especially by a reduced startle potentiation toward unpleasant pictures. Associations between the exploratory assessed 5-HTT, COMT, and DAT polymorphisms and affect-modulated ASR were not found. Results speak for the importance of the DRD4 polymorphism in modulating emotional responses and also for the usefulness of the affect-modulated ASR as an endophenotype.
Pauli
Paul
P
Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. pauli@psychologie.uni-wuerzburg.de
Conzelmann
Annette
A
Mucha
Ronald F
RF
Weyers
Peter
P
Baehne
Christina G
CG
Fallgatter
Andreas J
AJ
Jacob
Christian P
CP
Lesch
Klaus Peter
KP
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics
C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D050638:Receptors, Dopamine D4; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase