title: PKCα is genetically linked to memory capacity in healthy subjects and to risk for posttraumatic stress disorder in genocide survivors.
abstract: Strong memory of a traumatic event is thought to contribute to the development and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, a genetic predisposition to build strong memories could lead to increased risk for PTSD after a traumatic event. Here we show that genetic variability of the gene encoding PKCα (PRKCA) was associated with memory capacity--including aversive memory--in nontraumatized subjects of European descent. This finding was replicated in an independent sample of nontraumatized subjects, who additionally underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). fMRI analysis revealed PRKCA genotype-dependent brain activation differences during successful encoding of aversive information. Further, the identified genetic variant was also related to traumatic memory and to the risk for PTSD in heavily traumatized survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Our results indicate a role for PKCα in memory and suggest a genetic link between memory and the risk for PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, 4055 Basel, Switzerland. dominique.dequervain@unibas.ch
authors.forename: Dominique J-F
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: de Quervain
authors.forename: Iris-Tatjana
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Kolassa
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aerni
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boesiger
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Demougin
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elbert
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ertl
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gschwind
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hadziselimovic
authors.forename: Edveena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanser
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heck
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hieber
authors.forename: Kim-Dung
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klarhöfer
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luechinger
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rasch
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scheffler
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spalek
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stippich
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vogler
authors.forename: Vanja
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vukojevic
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stetak
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papassotiropoulos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006708:Homicide / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012432:Rwanda / Q000208:ethnology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D014454:Uganda; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C496628:PRKCA protein, human; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha