The flexible mind is associated with the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) ValMet polymorphism: Evidence for a role of dopamine in the control of task-switching |
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Authors: | Lorenza S Colzato Florian Waszak Danielle Posthuma |
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Institution: | a Leiden University, Institute for Psychological Research & Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands b Laboratoire de Psychologie Expérimentale, CNRS & University Paris Descartes, Paris, France c Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Biological Psychology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | Genetic variability related to the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene (Val158Met polymorphism) has received increasing attention as a possible modulator of cognitive control functions. Recent evidence suggests that the Val158Met genotype may differentially affect cognitive stability and flexibility, in such a way that Val/Val homozygous individuals (who possess low prefrontal dopamine levels) may show more pronounced cognitive flexibility than Met/-carriers (who possess high prefrontal dopamine levels). To test this, healthy humans (n = 87), genotyped for the Val158Met polymorphism at the COMT gene, performed a task-switching paradigm, which provides a relatively diagnostic index of cognitive flexibility. As predicted, Met/-carriers showed larger switching costs (i.e., less cognitive flexibility), F(1,85) = 4.28, p < 0.05, than Val/Val homozygous individuals. Our findings support the idea that low prefrontal dopamine levels promote cognitive flexibility. |
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Keywords: | Cognitive flexibility COMT Task-switching Dopamine PFC |
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