Executive Subprocesses in Working Memory

• DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.60.9.889
• Publication Date: 2003-09-08T20:50:03Z
• Authors: Terry E. Goldberg; Michael F. Egan; Tonya Gscheidle; Richard Coppola; Thomas Weickert; Bhaskar S. Kolachana; David Goldman; Daniel R. Weinberger
• Keywords: Affect

<h3>Background</h3> Cognitive dysfunction in the working memory domain seems to be under genetic control and is a candidate intermediate phenotype schizophrenia. Genes that affect processing may contribute risk for <h3>Methods</h3> Working attentional were assessed large unselected sample of schizophrenic patients, their healthy siblings, controls(N = 250). We used n-back task because it allows parametric analysis over increasing loads delays parsing subcomponents executive cognition memory, including temporal indexing updating. Participants genotyped catechol-<i>O</i>-methyltransferase (<i>COMT</i>) at Val158Met locus, which has been shown frontal lobe function, likely genetically determined variation prefrontal dopamine signaling. <h3>Results</h3> A significant<i>COMT</i>genotype effect was found: Val/Val individuals had lowest performance, Met/Met highest performance. Effects similar 1- 2-back conditions across all groups, whereas no on Continuous Performance Test seen, suggesting genotype not affecting subprocesses related attention, load, or delay. Siblings also performed significantly worse than controls conditions. <h3>Conclusions</h3> cognitive mechanism common conditions, probably processes involved information updating indexing, sensitive the<i>COMT</i>genotype. Considering 3 participant groups affected more less linearly by the<i>COMT</i>genotype, an additive model allele load its effects prefrontally based irrespective environmental background expressed suggested. The findings provide convergent evidence cortical function represents viable approach understanding neuropsychiatric disorders with complex etiologies individual differences cognition.