1. A genetic variation of the noradrenergic system is related to differential amygdala activation during encoding of emotional memories.
- Author
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Rasch, B., SpaIek, K., Buholzer, S., Luechinger, R., Boesiger, P., PapassotiropouIos, A., and de Quervain, D. J.-F.
- Subjects
HUMAN genetic variation ,NORADRENERGIC mechanisms ,ADRENERGIC receptors ,MACROPHAGE activation ,BIOTRANSFORMATION (Metabolism) ,AMYGDALOID body - Abstract
Emotionally arousing events are typically well remembered, but there is a large interindividual variability for this phenomenon. We have recently shown that a functional deletion variant of ADRA2B, the gene encoding the α2b-adrenergic receptor, is related to enhanced emotional memory in healthy humans and enhanced traumatic memory in war victims. Here, we investigated the neural mechanisms of this effect in healthy participants by using fMRl. Carriers of the ADRA2B deletion variant exhibited increased activation of the amygdala during encoding of photographs with negative emotional valence compared with noncarriers of the deletion. Additionally, functional connectivity between amygdala and insula was significantly stronger in deletion carriers. The present findings indicate that the ADRA2B deletion variant is related to increased responsivity and connectivity of brain regions implicated in emotional memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
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