The AKT1 gene is associated with attention and brain morphology in schizophrenia. (March 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ohi, Kazutaka; Hashimoto, Ryota; Yasuda, Yuka; Fukumoto, Motoyuki; Nemoto, Kiyotaka; Ohnishi, Takashi; Yamamori, Hidenaga; Takahashi, Hidetoshi; Iike, Naomi; Kamino, Kouzin; Yoshida, Tetsuhiko; Azechi, Michiyo; Ikezawa, Koji; Tanimukai, Hitoshi; Tagami, Shinji; Morihara, Takashi; Okochi, Masayasu; Tanaka, Toshihisa; Kudo, Takashi; Iwase, Masao; Kazui, Hiroaki; Takeda, Masatoshi
• Is Part Of: World journal of biological psychiatry. Volume 14:Number 2(2013)
• Page Start: 100
• Page End: 113
• Publication Date: 2013-03
• Subjects: Biological psychiatry -- Periodicals; Biological Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2011.591826
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1562-2975

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objectives.</italic> A meta-analysis of the associations between genetic variants in the <italic>AKT1</italic> gene and schizophrenia found that a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP5; rs2494732) was associated with schizophrenia in Asian populations. <italic>Methods.</italic> In this study, we investigated the effects of this SNP on memory and attentional performance and brain structure using magnetic resonance imaging in a Japanese population (117 patients with schizophrenia and 189 healthy subjects). <italic>Results.</italic> The memory performance, particularly attention/concentration score, measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised in A carriers of SNP5, which was found to be enriched in patients with schizophrenia, was lower than that in individuals with the G/G genotype. We confirmed the association of the SNP with attentional performance using the Continuous Performance Test, which assessed sustained attention and vigilance of attentional function. Patients with A allele demonstrated lower attentional performance than patients with the G/G genotype. Patients with the A allele had smaller gray matter volumes in the right inferior parietal lobule related to attentional processes and in the frontostriatal region related to different SNPs in <italic>AKT1</italic> than patients with the G/G genotype. <italic>Conclusions.</italic> Our results suggest that a genetic variant of <italic>AKT1</italic> might be associated with attentional deficits and brain morphological vulnerability in patients with schizophrenia.</p> </abstract>