Involvement of the mineralocorticoid receptor in human cognitive function
Molitor, A.1, Strelzyk, F.2, Naumann, E.2, and Wüst, S.3
1Forschungsinstitut für Psychobiologie, Universität Trier; 2Psychophysiologisches Labor, Universität Trier; 3Abteilung für Genetische Epidemiologie in der Psychiatrie, Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim
The influence of cortisol on cognitive function is well known and several findings document the relevance of glucocorticoid receptor function for memory. But knowledge on the role of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in cognition is scarce.
To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the MR gene (rs 2070951 & rs5522) and executive functions, 156 subjects were genotyped and subsequently 72 subjects were selected according to MR genotype. Executive functions were assessed with the Attention Network Task (ANT) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) while electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded. Saliva samples for later cortisol assessment were collected during the session as well as under basal conditions (cortisol awakening responses and diurnal profiles).
Basal cortisol levels were did not differ between groups whereas a significant genotype x sex interaction was found for cortisol during test sessions. Preliminary EKP analysis for both tests suggests significant group differences and final results will be presented at the conference.