Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 11, 2025
08:17
Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
7.8K
CPNE3 moderates the association between anxiety and working memory.
Chunhui Chen1,2, Ziyi Wang3,4, Chuansheng Chen5
1State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. chenchunhuichina@bnu.edu.cn.
Scientific Reports
|March 26, 2021
Summary
This study identified a gene, CPNE3, that influences how anxiety affects working memory (WM). Genetic variations in CPNE3 alter the relationship, potentially explaining individual differences in the Yerkes-Dodson law for anxiety and WM.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Psychology
Background:
- The relationship between anxiety and working memory (WM) is often described by the Yerkes-Dodson law, suggesting a curvilinear effect.
- Individual differences in this relationship may stem from genetic factors, given the heritability of both anxiety and WM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific genes that moderate the association between anxiety and working memory (WM).
- To explore the genetic underpinnings of individual variations in the Yerkes-Dodson law concerning anxiety and WM.
Main Methods:
- A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on 1115 healthy subjects.
- Genotype data for the CPNE3 rs10102229 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and WM performance were analyzed.
- Gene score analysis and replication in an independent sample (N=330) were performed.
Main Results:
- The CPNE3 rs10102229 SNP showed the strongest association (p < 3.4E-6) in moderating the anxiety-WM relationship.
- Individuals with the TT genotype (lower CPNE3 expression) exhibited a negative correlation between anxiety and WM.
- Individuals with the CC genotype (higher CPNE3 expression) showed a positive correlation between anxiety and WM, which was replicated.
Conclusions:
- CPNE3 rs10102229 acts as a genetic moderator of the anxiety-WM relationship.
- This finding offers a potential genetic explanation for the Yerkes-Dodson law in the context of anxiety and working memory.
- The study is the first to report a specific gene influencing the interplay between anxiety and working memory.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Working Memory
540
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
540
01:18Anxiety: Overview
519
Anxiety is a common mental disorder featuring excessive worry, fear, and apprehension, significantly affecting daily life. People with anxiety disorders experience persistent and intense anxiety, interrupting their everyday functioning.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
519
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
739
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
739
01:30Generalized Anxiety Disorder
352
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry that persists for at least six months, significantly interfering with daily functioning. Unlike situational anxiety, which arises in response to specific stressors, GAD often occurs without a clear cause. Individuals may experience disproportionate worry about work, health, or relationships. For instance, a person might continuously fear poor health despite normal medical evaluations or...
352
01:27Panic Disorder
313
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and sudden minutes-long episodes of intense fear, known as panic attacks. These attacks may feel like heart attacks and often happen without warning or a specific cause. They can include symptoms such as rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, chest pain, trembling, sweating, dizziness, and a sense of helplessness. During a panic attack, individuals may feel as though they are experiencing a heart attack or are in a...
313
01:27Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
165
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a multidisciplinary field that examines how psychological factors, particularly stress, interact with the immune system and impact physical health. Research in PNI has shown that chronic or traumatic stress can disrupt both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. These disruptions contribute to serious health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases.
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
165