Genetic Influence on Slope Variability in a Childhood Reflexive Attention Task

Lundwall, Rebecca A.; Watkins, Jeffrey K. · 2015 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130668

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Summary

This study investigates the genetic contributions to response time (RT) slope variability in a childhood reflexive attention task. While interindividual variability is a recognized feature of human behavior, research has predominantly focused on sustained attention tasks or moment-to-moment variability. The authors aim to expand this understanding by examining whether specific candidate genes associated with neurotransmitter systems (acetylcholine, dopamine, and serotonin) influence the change in RT over the course of a reflexive attention task. Identifying these biological pathways is intended to improve interventions for individuals with attentional deficits by targeting specific endophenotypes. The study utilized a longitudinal cohort of children aged 9–16 years, originally recruited for infant attention testing. From an initial pool of 854 children, 203 participated in-person in a computerized spatial cueing task, a modified Posner-like reflexive attention task involving salient stimuli (rockets and alien spaceships). After excluding participants with high error rates, neurological disorders, or non-white biological parents to control for population stratification, the final analysis included 190 children. Genetic data were collected via saliva samples and genotyped for 39 markers across 11 genes: APOE, BDNF, CHRNA4, COMT, DRD4, HTR4, IGF2, MAOA, SLC5A7, SLC6A3, and SNAP25. Statistical analysis employed mixed multilevel models to examine the interaction between genotype and trial number, thereby assessing RT slope variability across seven task conditions. Covariates included age, sleepiness, and infant attention scores. The results revealed significant associations between RT slope variability and genetic markers on nine of the 11 examined genes. Specifically, markers on BDNF, DRD4, SLC5A7, and SLC6A3 were significantly associated with slopes in the Neutral Bright condition. Associations were also found for the No Cue condition (DRD4, IGF2, SLC5A7, SLC6A3), Single Bright Invalid condition (APOE, SLC6A3), Single Dim Invalid condition (APOE, CHRNA4, SNAP25), and Single Dim Valid condition (CHRNA4, HTR4, SLC6A3, SNAP25). For instance, in the APOE rs7412 SNP analysis for the Single Bright Invalid condition, individuals with two risk alleles showed improving RTs over the task course, whereas those with zero or one risk allele did not. These findings indicate that genetic variations in neurotransmitter-related genes influence how children’s attentional performance changes over time during reflexive tasks. The significance of these findings lies in the demonstration that genetic factors influence not just mean performance but also the dynamic stability of attention (slope variability) in reflexive tasks. This extends previous research limited to sustained attention tasks and moment-to-moment variability. By linking specific genes to attentional slope variability, the study supports the hypothesis that neurotransmitter availability affects neural transmission efficiency during attention. These results provide a biological basis for understanding individual differences in attention, potentially guiding the development of targeted pharmacological treatments and interventions for attentional deficits.

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• cognitive capacity variation