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Association of KIBRA and memory
Timothy C Bates1, Jackie F Price, Sarah E Harris
1Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, EH89JZ, Scotland, UK. tim.bates@ed.ac.uk
Neuroscience Letters
|April 29, 2009
Summary
The KIBRA gene variant rs17070145 is linked to long-term memory recall for unrelated words in older adults. This specific genetic factor impacts episodic memory storage, not immediate recall abilities.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Psychology
Background:
- The KIBRA gene plays a role in memory formation and retrieval.
- Episodic memory, the ability to recall specific events, is crucial for cognitive health in aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between a specific KIBRA single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs17070145, and memory performance in older adults.
- To determine if this KIBRA variant differentially affects immediate versus delayed recall and memory for semantically related versus unrelated information.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of KIBRA SNP rs17070145 in two independent cohorts of older individuals (n=2091 and n=542).
- Assessment of memory using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) for semantically unrelated words and the WAIS Logical Memory Test for semantically related prose passages.
- Comparison of immediate and delayed recall performance between individuals with different genotypes.
Main Results:
- SNP rs17070145 was significantly associated with delayed recall of semantically unrelated word stimuli.
- No association was found between this SNP and immediate recall of unrelated words.
- The KIBRA variant did not show any association with memory performance for semantically related material (prose passages).
Conclusions:
- The T-->C substitution in intron 9 of KIBRA, specifically SNP rs17070145, is implicated in the long-term storage component of episodic memory.
- This genetic influence appears specific to memory for unrelated items and is independent of immediate recall processes.
- Findings suggest a targeted role for KIBRA in the consolidation or retrieval of distinct episodic memories.
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