Cognitive performance and BMI in childhood: Shared genetic influences between reaction time but not response inhibition.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The aim of this work is to understand whether shared genetic influences can explain the association between obesity and cognitive performance, including slower and more variable reaction times (RTs) and worse response inhibition.

Methods

RT on a four-choice RT task and the go/no-go task, and commission errors on the go/no-go task for 1,312 twins ages 7-10 years were measured. BMI was measured at 9-12 years. Biometric twin models were run to give an estimate of the genetic correlation (rG ) between body mass index (BMI) and three cognitive measures: mean RT (MRT), RT variability (RTV; the standard deviation of RTs), and commission errors (a measure of response inhibition).

Results

Genetic correlations indicated that 20%-30% of the genes underlying BMI were sh

SUBMITTER: Frazier-Wood AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4313367 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature