Study Report
Reference
| Citation | Thimm, 2011 PubMed |
| Full Info | Thimm, M., Kircher, T., Kellermann, T., Markov, V., Krach, S., Jansen, A., Zerres, K., Eggermann, T., Stocker, T., Shah, N.J. et al. (2011) Effects of a CACNA1C genotype on attention networks in healthy individuals. Psychol Med, 41, 1551-1561.
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Study
| Hypothesis or Background |
Recent genetic studies found the A allele of the variant rs1006737 in the alpha 1C subunit of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (CACNA1C) gene to be over-represented in patients with psychosis, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. In these disorders, attention deficits are among the main cognitive symptoms and have been related to altered neural activity in cerebral attention networks. The particular effect of CACNA1C on neural function, such as attention networks, remains to be elucidated.
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| Sample Information | 80 subjects |
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| Method Detail | The current event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated the effect of the CACNA1C gene on brain activity in 80 subjects while performing a scanner-adapted version of the Attention Network Test (ANT). Three domains of attention were probed simultaneously: alerting, orienting and executive control of attention. |
| Method Keywords | functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); genotyping |
| Result | Risk allele carriers showed impaired performance in alerting and orienting in addition to reduced neural activity in the right inferior parietal lobule [Brodmann area (BA) 40] during orienting and in the medial frontal gyrus (BA 8) during executive control of attention. These areas belong to networks that have been related to impaired orienting and executive control mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders. |
| Conclusions | Our results suggest that CACNA1C plays a role in the development of specific attention deficits in psychiatric disorders by modulation of neural attention networks. |
Relationships reported by
Thimm, 2011
| Component A Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component A Type |
Component B Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component B Type |
Statistical Result |
Relationship Description |
Result Category (Positive/Negative)) |
|
Attention network (neural attention networks)
|
brain morphology and function |
CACNA1C (CACNA1C) |
gene |
|
Our results suggest that CACNA1C plays a role in the development of specific attention deficits in psychiatric disorders by modulation of neural attention networks. |
Positive
|
|
Alertness (impaired performance in alerting)
|
cognition and behavior |
CACNA1C (CACNA1C) |
gene |
|
Risk allele carriers showed impaired performance in alerting and orienting in addition to reduced neural activity in the right inferior parietal lobule [Brodmann area (BA) 40] during orienting and in the medial frontal gyrus (BA 8) during executive control of attention. |
Positive
|
|
Perception (impaired performance in orienting)
|
cognition and behavior |
CACNA1C (CACNA1C) |
gene |
|
Risk allele carriers showed impaired performance in alerting and orienting in addition to reduced neural activity in the right inferior parietal lobule [Brodmann area (BA) 40] during orienting and in the medial frontal gyrus (BA 8) during executive control of attention. |
Positive
|
|
Attention (attention deficits)
|
cognition and behavior |
CACNA1C (CACNA1C) |
gene |
|
Our results suggest that CACNA1C plays a role in the development of specific attention deficits in psychiatric disorders by modulation of neural attention networks. |
Positive
|
|
Executive functions (executive control of attention)
|
cognition and behavior |
CACNA1C (CACNA1C) |
gene |
|
Risk allele carriers showed impaired performance in alerting and orienting in addition to reduced neural activity in the right inferior parietal lobule [Brodmann area (BA) 40] during orienting and in the medial frontal gyrus (BA 8) during executive control of attention. |
Positive
|
|
Medial frontal gyrus (medial frontal gyrus)
|
brain morphology and function |
CACNA1C (CACNA1C) |
gene |
|
Risk allele carriers showed impaired performance in alerting and orienting in addition to reduced neural activity in the right inferior parietal lobule [Brodmann area (BA) 40] during orienting and in the medial frontal gyrus (BA 8) during executive control of attention. |
Positive
|
|
right inferior parietal lobule (right inferior parietal lobule)
|
brain morphology and function |
CACNA1C (CACNA1C) |
gene |
|
Risk allele carriers showed impaired performance in alerting and orienting in addition to reduced neural activity in the right inferior parietal lobule [Brodmann area (BA) 40] during orienting and in the medial frontal gyrus (BA 8) during executive control of attention. |
Positive
|
