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Serotonin Transporter Genetic Variation is Differentially Associated with Reflexive- and Reflective-Optimal Learning
W Todd Maddox1, Marissa A Gorlick2, Seth Koslov1
1Department of Psychology and Institute for Mental Health Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Cerebral Cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
|December 19, 2015
Summary
The serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) influences cognitive control. Specific gene variants impact learning by favoring either reflexive or reflective thinking depending on the task demands.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Genetics
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Serotonin plays a role in learning and decision-making, but its function in cognitive control is not fully understood.
- The serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) promoter region polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) is associated with variations in serotonin transporter functionality.
- Cognitive control involves engaging task-appropriate systems, either reflexive or reflective, for optimal performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism affects the ability to engage the optimal cognitive system for learning.
- To determine if different 5-HTTLPR genotypes are associated with better performance in tasks favoring reflexive versus reflective processing.
Main Methods:
- Three studies were conducted using large community samples screened for psychiatric diagnoses.
- Participants completed a learning task where the optimal cognitive system (reflexive or reflective) varied.
- Performance was compared between individuals with different 5-HTTLPR genotypes (S/LG homozygotes vs. LA homozygotes).
Main Results:
- In reflexive-optimal learning tasks (Experiments 1 and 2), 5-HTTLPR S/LG homozygotes (lower serotonin transport) outperformed LA homozygotes.
- In a reflective-optimal learning task (Experiment 3), 5-HTTLPR LA homozygotes (higher serotonin transport) outperformed S/LG homozygotes.
- These findings indicate a genotype-specific effect of 5-HTTLPR on cognitive system engagement.
Conclusions:
- The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism modulates cognitive control by influencing the engagement of task-appropriate processing systems.
- Individuals with different 5-HTTLPR genotypes show distinct adaptive learning strategies, favoring reflexive or reflective processing.
- This research clarifies the role of serotonin in system-level cognitive control and adaptive learning.
Keywords:
category learningdecision-makinghypothesis-testingprefrontal cortexprocedural learningstriatumMore Related Videos
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