PMID- 25358337
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20150707
LR  - 20180816
IS  - 1423-0224 (Electronic)
IS  - 0302-282X (Linking)
VI  - 70
IP  - 3
DP  - 2014
TI  - Functional polymorphisms in BDNF and COMT genes are associated with objective 
      differences in arithmetical functioning in a sample of young adults.
PG  - 152-7
LID - 10.1159/000366483 [doi]
AB  - BACKGROUND: Understanding the molecular genetics of complex human behaviors and 
      functions remains a substantial challenge for the neurosciences. Previous studies 
      have shown a genetic basis for individual differences in mathematical 
      functioning; however, the specific genes remain to be completely identified. In 
      the present study, we explored the possibility that 2 functional polymorphisms in 
      candidate genes could be associated with differences in arithmetical performance. 
      METHODS: A computerized test to analyze performance in basic arithmetical 
      calculations (additions and subtractions) was applied to 168 healthy young 
      Colombian participants using the PEBL (Psychology Experiment Building Language) 
      battery. DNA samples were genotyped for 2 functional SNPs in candidate genes: 
      brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-Val66Met and 
      catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-Val158Met. RESULTS: We found significant 
      differences for arithmetical processing scores between genotypes. For BDNF, 
      Val/Val subjects had a worse performance (p value: 0.025) and for COMT, Val/Val 
      carriers had a better performance (p value: 0.006). A multivariate model, 
      including both BDNF and COMT genes, accounted for 7.1% of the variance in math 
      processing scores. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study finding 
      associations of polymorphisms in BDNF and COMT genes with quantitative measures 
      of numerical aptitude in healthy young participants. A future study of other 
      genes involved in neural plasticity could be helpful to identify genetic 
      correlates of arithmetical functioning, which will be important for the 
      understanding of normal human behaviors and related neuropsychiatric disorders.
FAU - Gonzalez-Giraldo, Yeimy
AU  - Gonzalez-Giraldo Y
AD  - Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Genetics, Biomedical Sciences Research Group, 
      School of Medicine, Universidad Antonio Narino, Bogota, Colombia.
FAU - Rojas, Johana
AU  - Rojas J
FAU - Novoa, Paula
AU  - Novoa P
FAU - Mueller, Shane T
AU  - Mueller ST
FAU - Piper, Brian J
AU  - Piper BJ
FAU - Adan, Ana
AU  - Adan A
FAU - Forero, Diego A
AU  - Forero DA
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20141024
PL  - Switzerland
TA  - Neuropsychobiology
JT  - Neuropsychobiology
JID - 7512895
RN  - 0 (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor)
RN  - 7171WSG8A2 (BDNF protein, human)
RN  - EC 2.1.1.6 (COMT protein, human)
RN  - EC 2.1.1.6 (Catechol O-Methyltransferase)
SB  - IM
MH  - Aptitude/*physiology
MH  - Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/*genetics
MH  - Catechol O-Methyltransferase/*genetics
MH  - Female
MH  - Genotype
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Mathematical Concepts
MH  - *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
MH  - Young Adult
EDAT- 2014/11/02 06:00
MHDA- 2015/07/08 06:00
CRDT- 2014/11/01 06:00
PHST- 2013/09/02 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2014/08/05 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2014/11/01 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2014/11/02 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2015/07/08 06:00 [medline]
AID - 000366483 [pii]
AID - 10.1159/000366483 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Neuropsychobiology. 2014;70(3):152-7. doi: 10.1159/000366483. Epub 2014 Oct 24.