Influence of serotonin receptor 2A His452Tyr polymorphism on brain temporal structures: a volumetric MR study.
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Date
2006-03-23
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Abstract
Serotonin 5 HT receptors 2A are expressed in brain regions involved in memory and learning processes Recently a functional single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5 HT2A receptor gene leading to an amino acid substitution at residue 452 His452Tyr has been involved in memory performance persons with the rare 452Tyr allele showing poorer memory performance compared to His452His subjects To investigate a putative structural effect of this polymorphism on temporal areas typically involved in memory processes we performed voxel based morphometry VBM and region of interest ROI volumetric analysis on high resolution magnetic resonance images in 15 carriers and 61 noncarriers of the 452Tyr allele ROI volumetric analysis showed a significant reduction of the fractional volume of the temporal white matter in 452Tyr carriers 0 67 0 07 vs 0 73 0 08 P 0 007 VBM confirmed this finding and in addition showed reduced grey matter in the left hippocampus left inferior temporal gyrus and bilaterally in the middle and superior temporal gyrus A possible effect on synaptic plasticity or neurodevelopment might explain the influence of the His452Tyr polymorphism on temporal brain structures and this might be the basis for poorer memory performance in 452Tyr carriers These findings should be considered preliminary and future replication is needed