Abstract
Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene and the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene influence brain structure and function, as well as cognitive abilities. They are most influential in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC), respectively. Recall and recognition are forms of memory proposed to have different neural substrates, with recall having a greater dependence on the PFC and hippocampus. This study aimed to determine whether the BDNF val66met or COMT val158met polymorphisms differentially affect recall and recognition, and whether these polymorphisms interact. A sample of 100 healthy adults was assessed on recall and familiarity-based recognition using the Faces and Family Pictures subscales of the Wechsler Memory Scale – Third Edition (WMS-III). COMT genotype did not affect performance on either task. The BDNF polymorphism (i.e., met carriers relative to val homozygotes) was associated with poorer recall ability, while not influencing recognition. Combining subscale scores in memory tests such as the WMS might obscure gene effects. Our results demonstrate the importance of distinguishing between recall and familiarity-based recognition in neurogenetics research.
Highlights
Individual differences in the memory ability of healthy individuals are ubiquitous, readily observed both within the laboratory and without
Support was found for the hypothesis that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) val66met polymorphism would differentially affect recall and familiaritybased recognition
There was a main effect of BDNF genotype for recall scores, with val homozygotes significantly outperforming those with a copy of the met allele
Summary
Individual differences in the memory ability of healthy individuals are ubiquitous, readily observed both within the laboratory and without. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) found in the gene coding for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in variation in mnemonic ability (e.g., Egan et al, 2003; Hariri et al, 2003). Individual differences in a range of cognitive skills have been attributed partly to a SNP in the gene coding for catecholO-methyltransferase (COMT; e.g., Egan et al, 2001; de Frias et al, 2004). When researching the potential genetic correlates of memory performance, it is necessary to distinguish between forms of memory. Previous research in this area has often used memory
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