Common variants in the ARC gene are not associated with cognitive abilities. Issue 10 (3rd September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Myrum, Craig; Giddaluru, Sudheer; Jacobsen, Kaya; Espeseth, Thomas; Nyberg, Lars; Lundervold, Astri J.; Haavik, Jan; Nilsson, Lars‐Göran; Reinvang, Ivar; Steen, Vidar M.; Johansson, Stefan; Wibrand, Karin; Le Hellard, Stephanie; Bramham, Clive R.
• Is Part Of: Brain and behavior. Volume 5:Issue 10(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2015-09-03
• Subjects: Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.8005
• DOI: 10.1002/brb3.376
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2162-3279

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="brb3376-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="brb3376-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Introduction</title> <p>The Activity‐Regulated Cytoskeleton‐associated (<italic>ARC</italic>) gene encodes a protein that is critical for the consolidation of synaptic plasticity and long‐term memory formation. Given <italic>ARC</italic>'s key role in synaptic plasticity, we hypothesized that genetic variations in <italic>ARC</italic> may contribute to interindividual variability in human cognitive abilities or to attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) susceptibility, where cognitive impairment often accompanies the disorder.</p> </sec> <sec id="brb3376-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We tested whether <italic>ARC</italic> variants are associated with six measures of cognitive functioning in 670 healthy subjects in the Norwegian Cognitive NeuroGenetics (NCNG) by extracting data from its Genome‐Wide Association Study (GWAS). In addition, the Swedish Betula sample of 1800 healthy subjects who underwent similar cognitive testing was also tested for association with 19 tag SNPs.</p> </sec> <sec id="brb3376-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>No <italic>ARC</italic> variants show association at the study‐wide level, but several markers show a trend toward association with human cognitive functions. We also tested for association between <italic>ARC</italic> SNPs and ADHD in a Norwegian sample of cases and controls, but found no significant associations.</p> </sec> <sec id="brb3376-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>This study suggests that common genetic variants located in <italic>ARC</italic> do not account for variance in human cognitive abilities, though small effects cannot be ruled out.</p> </sec> </abstract>