Perceived Parenting Mediates Serotonin Transporter Gene (5-HTTLPR) and Neural System Function during Facial Recognition: A Pilot Study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 9; p. e0134685
• Main Authors: Nishikawa, Saori, Toshima, Tamotsu, Kobayashi, Masao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 29.09.2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Activation; Adult; Adults; Alleles; Analysis; Behavior; Brain research; Cognition & reasoning; Education; Emotion recognition; Emotions; Face recognition; Facial Expression; Facial Recognition; Female; Frontal Lobe - physiology; Gender; Gene expression; Gene mapping; Genes; Genetic aspects; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; Health sciences; Humans; I.R. radiation; Influence; Infrared spectra; Infrared spectroscopy; Male; Near infrared radiation; Near infrared spectroscopy; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; Parenting; Parents & parenting; Pattern recognition; Pediatrics; Perception; Physiological aspects; Pilot Projects; Psychology; Recognition (Memory); Rejection; Saliva; Serotonin; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics; Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins - metabolism; Serotonin transporter; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transporter; Young Adult; Japan
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134685

This study examined changes in prefrontal oxy-Hb levels measured by NIRS (Near-Infrared Spectroscopy) during a facial-emotion recognition task in healthy adults, testing a mediational/moderational model of these variables. Fifty-three healthy adults (male = 35, female = 18) aged between 22 to 37 years old (mean age = 24.05 years old) provided saliva samples, completed a EMBU questionnaire (Swedish acronym for Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran [My memories of upbringing]), and participated in a facial-emotion recognition task during NIRS recording. There was a main effect of maternal rejection on RoxH (right frontal activation during an ambiguous task), and a gene × environment (G × E) interaction on RoxH, suggesting that individuals who carry the SL or LL genotype and who endorse greater perceived maternal rejection show less right frontal activation than SL/LL carriers with lower perceived maternal rejection. Finally, perceived parenting style played a mediating role in right frontal activation via the 5-HTTLPR genotype. Early-perceived parenting might influence neural activity in an uncertain situation i.e. rating ambiguous faces among individuals with certain genotypes. This preliminary study makes a small contribution to the mapping of an influence of gene and behaviour on the neural system. More such attempts should be made in order to clarify the links.