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Relations between catechol‐O‐methyltransferase Val158Met genotype and inhibitory control development in childhood
Author(s) -
Bowers Maureen E.,
Buzzell George A.,
Salo Virginia,
TrollerRenfree Sonya V.,
Hodgkinson Colin A.,
Goldman David,
Gorodetsky Elena,
Martin McDermott Jennifer,
Henderson Heather A.,
Fox Nathan A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.21901
Subject(s) - rs4680 , catechol o methyl transferase , genotype , snp , single nucleotide polymorphism , psychology , prefrontal cortex , inhibitory control , medicine , developmental psychology , neuroscience , genetics , biology , gene , cognition
The Val158Met rs4680 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the catechol‐O‐methyltransferase ( COMT ) gene, primarily involved in dopamine breakdown within prefrontal cortex, has shown relations with inhibitory control (IC) in both adults and children. However, little is known about how COMT genotype relates to developmental trajectories of IC throughout childhood. Here, our study explored the effects of the COMT genotype (Val/Val, Val/Met, and Met/Met) on IC trajectories between the ages of 5 and 10 years. Children ( n = 222) completed a Go/Nogo task at ages 5, 7, and 10; IC was characterized using signal detection theory to examine IC performance ( d ′) and response strategy (RS) (criterion). COMT genotype was not related to initial levels of IC performance and RS at age 5 or change in RS from ages 5 to 10. In contrast, COMT genotype was related to change in IC performance between 5 and 10 years. While Val/Val children did not differ from Val/Met children in development of IC performance, children with the Met/Met genotype exhibited more rapid development of IC performance when compared with Val/Met peers. These results suggest that COMT genotype modulates the development of IC performance in middle childhood.