Polymorphism stin2vntr of serotonin transporter gene: Associations with efficiency of short-term memory in young and elderly subjects

It has been shown that cognitive abilities and the rate of their decline with age are largely determined by genetic factors. The serotonergic system of the brain affects the development, plastic reconstruction of the brain and plays an important role in the learning and memory processes. The revealed association of serotonin transporter gene activity with the efficiency of memory processes served as a basis for studying associations between memory efficiency and polymorphism of STin2VNTR, which is an allele-dependent gene expression enhancer. Right-handed young (n = 204: 84 men and 120 women, 19-35 years) and elderly (n = 129:57 men and 72 women, over 55) adults participated in the study. The efficacy of verbal memory was determined by the reproduction of the right and the left ear words in the procedure of dichotic testing and recognition of previously presented on the screen of monitor syllables, figurative memory - on the base of the recognition of figures. Regardless of other factors, carriers of the genotype 12/12 of STin2VNTR polymorphism, in comparison with the carriers of allele 10, showed better memory for dichotically presented words and for figures. For figurative memory the effect of the genotype was more pronounced in the older age group.