Common variant of CNTNAP2 gene modulate the social performances and functional connectivity of posterior right temporoparietal junction. Issue 12 (28th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bai, Tongjian; Zhang, Long; Xie, Xiaohui; Xiao, Guixian; Huang, Wanling; Li, Dandan; Zu, Meidan; Wei, Lin; Zuo, Xianbo; J I, Gong-Jun; Hu, Panpan; Zhu, Chunyan; Qiu, Bensheng; Tian, Yanghua; Wang, Kai
• Is Part Of: Social cognitive and affective neuroscience. Volume 14:Issue 12(2019)
• Page Start: 1297
• Page End: 1305
• Publication Date: 2020-01-28
• Subjects: CNTNAP2 -- social performance -- temporoparietal junction -- medial prefrontal cortex -- dynamic functional connectivity; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Cognitive neuroscience -- Periodicals; Neuropsychology -- Periodicals; 612.8205
• DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1749-5016

Abstract

Abstract: Social deficits are features of autism and highly heritable traits. A common variant in autism-related CNTNAP2 gene, rs2710102, has been linked with social performance, but the neural substrates are largely unknown. We investigated variations in social performance and functional connectivity (static and dynamic) in the subregions of right temporoparietal junction (RTPJ), a key node of brain social network, using resting-state magnetic resonance imaging ( n = 399) by genotype at rs2710102 in healthy volunteers. Social performance was evaluated using the social domain of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-social; n = 641) and fixation time on eye areas during an eye-tracking task ( n = 32). According to previous evidence that the A-allele is the risk allele for social dysfunction, we classified participants into GG and A-allele carriers (AA/AG) groups. The A-allele carriers showed poor social performance (high AQ-social and short fixation time on eye areas) compared with the GG carriers. In the A-allele carriers, decreased stationary functional connectivity between the orbitofrontal cortex and posterior RTPJ (pRTPJ), and decreased dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and pRTPJ were observed. The fixation time at eye areas positively were correlated with the pRTPJ-mPFC dFC. These findings provided insight for genetic effect on social behavior and its potential neural substrate.