title: DAT by perceived MC interaction on human prefrontal activity and connectivity during emotion processing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal care (MC) and dopamine modulate brain activity during emotion processing in inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), striatum and amygdala. Reuptake of dopamine from the synapse is performed by the dopamine transporter (DAT), whose abundance is predicted by variation in its gene (DAT 3'VNTR; 10 > 9-repeat alleles). Here, we investigated the interaction between perceived MC and DAT 3'VNTR genotype on brain activity during processing of aversive facial emotional stimuli.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one healthy subjects were genotyped for DAT 3'VNTR and categorized in low and high MC individuals. They underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a task requiring gender discrimination of facial stimuli with angry, fearful or neutral expressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An interaction between facial expression, DAT genotype and MC was found in left IFG, such that low MC and homozygosity for the 10-repeat allele are associated with greater activity during processing of fearful faces. This greater activity was also inversely correlated with a measure of emotion control as scored with the Big Five Questionnaire. Moreover, MC and DAT genotype described a double dissociation on functional connectivity between IFG and amygdala.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that perceived early parental bonding may interact with DAT 3'VNTR genotype in modulating brain activity during emotionally relevant inputs.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche e Psichiatriche, Università degli Studi di Bari Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. a.bertolino@psichiat.uniba.it.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Taurisano
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Blasi
authors: Raffaella
authors: R
authors: Romano
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Sambataro
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Fazio
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Gelao
authors: Gianluca
authors: G
authors: Ursini
authors: Luciana
authors: L
authors: Lo Bianco
authors: Annabella
authors: A
authors: Di Giorgio
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Ferrante
authors: Apostolos
authors: A
authors: Papazacharias
authors: Annamaria
authors: A
authors: Porcelli
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Sinibaldi
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Popolizio
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Bertolino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins