The association between the COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism and preschoolers’ autobiographical memory details and narrative cohesiveness

Tõugu, Pirko; Vaht, Mariliis; Tulviste, Tiia; Veidebaum, Toomas; Harro, Jaanus

doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2016.06.002

Cited by 2 publications

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“…Therefore, a study with older children could still reveal main effects of genotype on first autobiographical memories. At the same time, other studies have indicated that the COMT genotype effect may be dependent on the environment (Drury et al 2010 , Tõugu et al 2016 ) or gender of the child (Barnett et al 2007 , 2009 ). In the present study, COMT genotype interaction with gender and valence of the event appeared (see discussion below).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Alternately, Val/Met genotype carriers could be more vulnerable to environmental factors than other genotypes. An earlier study (Tõugu et al 2016 ) reported that Val/Met heterozygote children of mothers who did not have a university degree provided fewer details than Met/Met homozygote children of mothers with a similar educational attainment (at the age of 4, and not later). It is possible that Val/Met heterozygote children aged 9–13 are particularly sensitive to the gender typical socialization discussed earlier.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An earlier study with the same children (when the children were 4 and 6 years old) revealed that both girls and boys with a Val/Met genotype provided fewer details in general when reporting on past events (Tõugu et al 2016 ). Now, at the mean age of ten, the effect persisted for emotional memories as compared to neutral ones and for boys as compared to girls with the same genotype.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies showing Met allele carriers displaying better performance in various cognitive functions are numerous (Barnett et al 2007 , 2008 ; Bruder et al 2005 ; De Frias et al 2004 ; Starr et al 2007 ). Similarly, the COMT gene has been related to several cognitive functions (Barnett et al 2007 , 2009 ; Diamond et al 2004 ; Dumontheil et al 2011 ), including autobiographical memory (Tõugu et al 2016 ) in child samples. Preschool children who are Met/Met homozygotes provide more memory details when asked to report on experienced events than children who are Val/Met heterozygotes (Tõugu et al 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, the COMT gene has been related to several cognitive functions (Barnett et al 2007 , 2009 ; Diamond et al 2004 ; Dumontheil et al 2011 ), including autobiographical memory (Tõugu et al 2016 ) in child samples. Preschool children who are Met/Met homozygotes provide more memory details when asked to report on experienced events than children who are Val/Met heterozygotes (Tõugu et al 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Schoolchildren’s autobiographical memory: COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism effects on emotional content and quality of first memories

et al. 2021

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Autobiographical memory is a cognitive function strongly related to emotional processing as autobiographical memory often includes emotional content. The COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism is associated with both cognitive and emotional processing. COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism effects on the emotional content and quality of Estonian schoolchildren’s first autobiographical memories were investigated in the present study. In addition, gender effects were considered and the emotional valence of the first memory was taken into account. Schoolchildren’s (N = 234) first memories were coded for valence, emotion words, specificity, and details. Girls were more likely to provide specific memories and recollections with an emotional valence than boys were. Children described memories with a positive or a negative valence in more detail than neutral memories. Interactions between the COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism and gender and valence of the events were detected: Val/Met heterozygotes provided fewer details for emotional events; Val/Met heterozygote boys reported fewer details for their first memories than Val/Met heterozygote girls did; Met/Met homozygote children provided fewer evaluative details for emotional events.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Schoolchildren’s autobiographical memory: COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism effects on emotional content and quality of first memories

et al. 2021

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Origins of adolescents’ earliest memories

Reese

Robertson

2018

Memory

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This prospective longitudinal study traced changes and individual differences in childhood amnesia over adolescence. A sample of 58 adolescents were followed from age 1-1/2 to age 16 years across 8 timepoints. At ages 12 (n = 46) and 16 (n = 51), adolescents completed an early memory interview. Early childhood measures included children's self-awareness, attachment security, nonverbal memory, verbal memory, language, theory of mind, narrative, and the early reminiscing environment (mothers' elaborative reminiscing). Adolescents continued to forget their earliest memories over adolescence, such that the age of first memory increased from 40 to 52 months from ages 12 to 16. The sole unique contributor to individual differences in age of earliest memory at both 12 and 16 years was mothers' elaborative reminiscing, with adolescents recalling earlier memories if their mothers had reminisced more elaboratively with them during early childhood. At age 16, the role of maternal reminiscing was moderated by self-awareness at age 1-1/2. Mothers' elaborative reminiscing mattered for the age of adolescents' earliest memories only for children who showed lower levels of self-awareness as toddlers. This pattern suggests a buffering effect for the role of maternal reminiscing in children's earliest memories, and supports integrated theories of childhood amnesia.

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The association between the COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism and preschoolers’ autobiographical memory details and narrative cohesiveness

Cited by 2 publications

References 54 publications

Schoolchildren’s autobiographical memory: COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism effects on emotional content and quality of first memories

Schoolchildren’s autobiographical memory: COMT gene Val158Met polymorphism effects on emotional content and quality of first memories

Origins of adolescents’ earliest memories

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