title: Impulsivity-related cognition in alcohol dependence: Is it moderated by DRD2/ANKK1 gene status and executive dysfunction?
abstract: Perceived impaired control over alcohol use is a key cognitive construct in alcohol dependence that has been related prospectively to treatment outcome and may mediate the risk for problem drinking conveyed by impulsivity in non-dependent drinkers. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether perceived impaired control may mediate the association between impulsivity-related measures (derived from the Short-form Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised) and alcohol-dependence severity in alcohol-dependent drinkers. Furthermore, the extent to which this hypothesized relationship was moderated by genetic risk (Taq1A polymorphism in the DRD2/ANKK1 gene cluster) and verbal fluency as an indicator of executive cognitive ability (Controlled Oral Word Association Test) was also examined. A sample of 143 alcohol-dependent inpatients provided an extensive clinical history of their alcohol use, gave 10ml of blood for DNA analysis, and completed self-report measures relating to impulsivity, impaired control and severity of dependence. As hypothesized, perceived impaired control (partially) mediated the association between impulsivity-related measures and alcohol-dependence severity. This relationship was not moderated by the DRD2/ANKK1 polymorphism or verbal fluency. These results suggest that, in alcohol dependence, perceived impaired control is a cognitive mediator of impulsivity-related constructs that may be unaffected by DRD2/ANKK1 and neurocognitive processes underlying the retrieval of verbal information.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, K Floor, Mental Health Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia. Electronic address: m.gullo@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gullo
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, K Floor, Mental Health Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: St John
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, K Floor, Mental Health Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia; Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McD Young
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, K Floor, Mental Health Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
authors.forename: Ernest P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.affiliation: Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, K Floor, Mental Health Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, K Floor, Mental Health Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Jason P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Connor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008875:Middle Aged; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics*; D012649:Self Concept; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C581293:DRD2 protein, human; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; C489948:ANKK1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: Alcohol dependence; Cognitive dysfunction; DRD2/ANKK1; Impaired control; Impulsive cognition; Impulsivity