A Study On The Relationship Between The Polymorphisms In5-HTT Gene,GRM3,GRIN3B And Human Cognitive Ability

Cognitive ability, process different information with human brain, is heritable quantitative trait. Many genetic researches based upon cognitive ability of patients suggested a close relationship between genes encoding transmitters, receptors, transporters and enzymes in5-HT and glutamate neurotransmitter systems and human cognitive ability. To understand the relationship between certain genes and various of cognitive ability, we selected the5-HTT gene, GRM3and GRIN3B, which were reported to be associated with human cognitive ability or probably, with the sample of more than900freshmen.4functional sites are chose in the3genes and the working memory, central executive function, verbal cognitive ability, spatial cognitive ability and other cognitive abilities tests are performed. The study was carried out by the behavioral genomics method.The results are as follows:(1)5-HTTLPR and5-HTTVNTR are chosen in5-HTT gene,5-HTTLPR polymorphism was significantly associated with semantic fluency(p=0.044)and reasoning mean time (p=0.036) in diffrenent level, the two tests belong to verbal cognitive ability. There is just a positive relations between5-HTTLPR polymorphism and digit span of working memory.5-HTTVNTR polymorphism and sentence-picture matching of verbal cognitive ability just have a positive relations (p=0.064). After post hoc multiple comparisons, we found that the subjects with SS have poor semantic fluency and the subjects with L allele have better reasoning ability;(2) Functional site rs6465084(A/G) is in GRM3, its polymorphism was significantly associated with localization average response time (p=0.044), the subjects with A allele have better positioning ability;(3) rs10666583in GRIN3B has a weak association with digit average response time of working memory(p=0.092). The p values displayed are all corrected.The conclusion made from the results as follows.5-HTT gene polymorphism in5-serotonin neurotransmitter system may paly an important role in semanteme fluency and reasoning ability of verbal cognitive ability, and may have a association with working memory. GRM3polymorphism is associated with localization of spatial cognitive ability, GRIN3B polymorphism may have a association with human digital working memory. The study results of5-HTT gene and GRM3are consistent with other reports, the relationship between GRIN3B and human working memory needs a further study.