Sex matters! Interactions of sex and polymorphisms of a cholinergic receptor gene (CHRNA5) modulate response speed

Abstract

Acetylcholine influences the speed of information processing. We examined the effect of the rs3841324 polymorphism (L/S) and the rs16969968 (G/A) polymorphism on response speed in the Stroop task and the Negative priming task. These polymorphisms are located in the gene that encodes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α5-subunit (CHRNA5). Male carriers of the rs3841324 S/S genotype and the rs16969968 G/G genotype were faster than male carriers of at least one L allele or one A allele. In contrast, female carriers of the rs3841324 S/S genotype and the rs16969968 G/G genotype were slower than female carriers of at least one L allele or one A allele. These results indicate that the minor alleles of both polymorphisms modulate response speed in a sex-dependent, diametrically opposed manner.