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Affect‐modulated startle reflex and dopamine D4 receptor gene variation
Author(s) -
Pauli Paul,
Conzelmann Annette,
Mucha Ronald F.,
Weyers Peter,
Baehne Christina G.,
Fallgatter Andreas J.,
Jacob Christian P.,
Lesch Klaus Peter
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2009.00923.x
Subject(s) - endophenotype , psychology , affect (linguistics) , moro reflex , allele , acoustic startle reflex , prepulse inhibition , polymorphism (computer science) , audiology , developmental psychology , neuroscience , reflex , cognition , genetics , gene , biology , communication , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , medicine , psychiatry
The affect‐modulated acoustic startle response (ASR) might be a promising indicator for emotional reactivity as an endophenotype (an intermediate level between genetics and phenotypes), which we expected to be associated with the DRD4 polymorphism. Therefore, the affect‐modulated ASR was examined in 114 healthy volunteers, 74 lacking the DRD4 7R allele (7R‐absent group) and 41 with at least one DRD4 7R allele (7R group). Results revealed the well‐known affect–modulated ASR in the 7R‐absent group. The 7R group, however, was characterized by a blunted affect‐modulated ASR, especially by a reduced startle potentiation toward unpleasant pictures. Associations between the exploratory assessed 5‐HTT, COMT, and DAT polymorphisms and affect‐modulated ASR were not found. Results speak for the importance of the DRD4 polymorphism in modulating emotional responses and also for the usefulness of the affect‐modulated ASR as an endophenotype.