An Association Study of the Genetic Polymorphisms in 13 Neural Plasticity-Related Genes with Semantic and Episodic Memories

Abstract

Semantic and episodic memories were two different attributes of long-term memory. In the past few years, plenty of physiological evidence has indicated that neural plasticity is involved in the formation of long-term memory. In the present study, we hypothesized that some functional variants of neural plasticity-related genes were related to episodic and semantic memories. To confirm this hypothesis, we examined the relationship of 13 plasticity-related genes with episodic and semantic memories. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in semantic memory scores among the three genotype groups of T267C in 5-HT ( 6 ) (χ (2) = 16.638, p = 0.0002). However, the functional variations in BDNF, COMT, DBH, DRD ( 2 ), DRD ( 3 ), DRD ( 4 ), MAOA, TPH ( 2 ), 5-HT ( 2A ), GRM ( 1 ), and GRIN2B had no observable effects on the memories. Our preliminary results confirm the hypothesis that a small number of functional variants of the neural plasticity-related genes, such as T267C in 5-HT ( 6 ), play important roles in human specific memory.

Impact of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Post-Stroke Dysmnesia and the Role of BDNF Val66Met SNP

“…These results are supported by similar studies [ 50 , 54 ]. Aside from BDNF polymorphisms, the polymorphisms of other neurotrophic factors or metabolic enzymes such as catechol-O-methyltransferase [ 55 ], methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [ 56 ], dopamine β-hydroxylase, monoamine oxidase, dopamine receptor D, tryptophan hydroxylase 2, and tumor necrosis factor-α could also have impacts on cognitive and memory function [ 57 , 58 ]. However, due to the small sample size of the present study, it was impossible to test all these polymorphisms and to group patients accordingly, since it would have resulted in subgroups that were too small.…”

The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism moderates the relationship between cognitive reserve and executive function

“… 22 BDNF Met alleles have been associated with reduced memory capacity, 22 but not consistently. 14 , 23 Similar to APOE , impaired synaptic plasticity is a feature of BDNF Met alleles. 24 , 25 …”

Investigating the Genetic Basis of Social Conformity: The Role of the Dopamine Receptor 3 <b><i>(DRD3)</i></b> Gene

“…To minimize the possible contribution of memory performance to attractiveness rating changes between sessions, we used a large number of stimuli and a long break between the sessions [3]. Importantly, previous studies found no association of the DRD3 Ser9Gly polymorphism with digital and spatial working memory spans [48], or with episodic and semantic memories [49], suggesting that the effect of the DRD3 Ser9Gly polymorphism on conforming behavior is unlikely to have been due to the polymorphism's effect on memory performance. …”