Influence of the SLC6A3-DAT1 Gene on Multifaceted Measures of Self-regulation in Preschool Children

Abstract

Development of self-regulation, the capacity to voluntarily modulate thoughts, emotions and actions is strongly related to the maturation of the dopamine-mediated executive attention network (EAN). The attention control processes associated with the EAN greatly overlap with efficiency of the executive functions and are correlated with measures of effortful control. Regulation of dopamine levels within the EAN, particularly in the basal ganglia is carried out by the action of dopamine transporters. In humans, the SLC6A3/DAT1 gene carries out the synthesis of the DAT protein. The 10-repeat allele has been associated with an enhanced expression of the gene and has been related to ADHD symptoms. Little is known about the impact of DAT1 variations on children's capacity to self-regulate in contexts that impose particular demands of regulatory control such as the school or home. This study defines a multi-domain phenotype of self-regulation and examines whether variations of the DAT1 gene accounts for individual differences in performance in 4–5 year old children. Results show that presence of the 10r allele is related to a diminished ability to exert voluntary regulation of reactivity. These findings shed light on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying individual differences in self-regulation during childhood.

DRD4 interacts with adverse life events in predicting maternal sensitivity via emotion regulation.

“…Future research is warranted to examine this possibility. This indirect pathway is also consistent with the view that genes involved in the dopamine system are related to self-regulation and emotional processes (Cómbita et al, 2017; Salgado-Pineda et al, 2005) and play an important role in maternal behavior (Bridgett et al, 2015; Numan, 2010). It appears that mothers with the DRD4 long allele have greater difficulty regulating their emotions, which undermines their ability to respond sensitively to their infants’ needs.…”

“…Emotion regulation may also serve as a mediating pathway through which DRD4 affects maternal sensitivity. Prior research has demonstrated that dopamine and dopamine-related genes play important roles in self-regulation (Cómbita, Voelker, Abundis-Gutierrez, Pozuelos, & Rueda, 2017) and emotional processes (Salgado-Pineda, Delaveau, Blin, & Nieoullon, 2005). Numerous studies have examined the role of DRD4 in self-regulation, largely focusing on cognitive and attentional self-regulation in clinical samples of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and yielding inconsistent findings regarding main effects of DRD4 on self-regulation (e.g., Johnson et al, 2008; Langley et al, 2004).…”

Children’s Greenness Exposure and IQ-Associated DNA Methylation: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…The gene encodes a dopamine transporter ( DAT ), which is a member of the sodium- and chloride-dependent neurotransmitter transporter family, and provides rapid clearance of dopamine [ 66 , 67 ], which mediates the reuptake of dopamine from the synaptic cleft [ 68 ]. Cómbita et al (2017) determined whether SLC6A3/DAT1 gene contributed to individual differences in children’s self-regulation skills [ 69 ]. They evaluated self-regulation skills and cognitive tasks such as conflict processing, inhibitory control, and intelligence assessments in 127 children at ages 4 and 6 in Spain.…”

ADHD: Reviewing the Causes and Evaluating Solutions

“…A meta-analysis published in 2016 addressing studies performed in healthy subjects did not find any association between DAT VNTR and different cognitive functions, such as executive functions, inhibition, attention, and long-term declarative memory [ 92 ]. A study performed in children aged 3 to 5 years old addressing the presence of the 9-repeats and 10-repeats alleles revealed that the presence of the 10-repeat allele of the DAT gene is associated with diminished ability to voluntarily regulate reactivity in healthy children [ 93 ]. A recent study on both ADHD and healthy children reported an effect of the specific genotype in the performance of children on attentional switching when studying the whole research sample, in which children carrying the 9-repeat allele performed worse than those carrying the 10-reapet homozygous or the 10-repeat/11-repeat heterozygous allele [ 91 ]…”