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Shared genetic aetiology between cognitive performance and brain activations in language and math tasks.

ABSTRACT: Cognitive performance is highly heritable. However, little is known about common genetic influences on cognitive ability and brain activation when engaged in a cognitive task. The Human Connectome Project (HCP) offers a unique opportunity to study this shared genetic etiology with an extended pedigree of 785 individuals. To investigate this common genetic origin, we took advantage of the HCP dataset, which includes both language and mathematics activation tasks. Using the HCP multimodal parcellation, we identified areals in which inter-individual functional MRI (fMRI) activation variance was significantly explained by genetics. Then, we performed bivariate genetic analyses between the neural activations and behavioral scores, corresponding to the fMRI task accuracies, fluid intelligence, working memory and language performance. We observed that several parts of the language network along the superior temporal sulcus, as well as the angular gyrus belonging to the math processing network, are significantly genetically correlated with these indicators of cognitive performance. This shared genetic etiology provides insights into the brain areas where the human-specific genetic repertoire is expressed. Studying the association of polygenic risk scores, using variants associated with human cognitive ability and brain activation, would provide an opportunity to better understand where these variants are influential.

SUBMITTER: Le Guen Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6279777 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Shared genetic aetiology between cognitive performance and brain activations in language and math tasks.

Le Guen Yann Y Amalric Marie M Pinel Philippe P Pallier Christophe C Frouin Vincent V

Scientific reports 20181204 1

Cognitive performance is highly heritable. However, little is known about common genetic influences on cognitive ability and brain activation when engaged in a cognitive task. The Human Connectome Project (HCP) offers a unique opportunity to study this shared genetic etiology with an extended pedigree of 785 individuals. To investigate this common genetic origin, we took advantage of the HCP dataset, which includes both language and mathematics activation tasks. Using the HCP multimodal parcella ...[more]

PMID: 30514932

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Project description:Aims/hypothesisType 2 diabetes is associated with cognitive impairments, but it is unclear whether common genetic factors influence both type 2 diabetes risk and cognition.MethodsUsing data from 1892 Mexican-American individuals from extended pedigrees, including 402 with type 2 diabetes, we examined possible pleiotropy between type 2 diabetes and cognitive functioning, as measured by a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery.ResultsNegative phenotypic correlations (ρp) were observed between type 2 diabetes and measures of attention (Continuous Performance Test [CPT d']: ρp = -0.143, p = 0.001), verbal memory (California Verbal Learning Test [CVLT] recall: ρp = -0.111, p = 0.004) and face memory (Penn Face Memory Test [PFMT]: ρp = -0.127, p = 0.002; PFMT Delayed: ρp = -0.148, p = 2 × 10-4), replicating findings of cognitive impairment in type 2 diabetes. Negative genetic correlations (ρg) were also observed between type 2 diabetes and measures of attention (CPT d': ρg = -0.401, p = 0.001), working memory (digit span backward test: ρg = -0.380, p = 0.005), and face memory (PFMT: ρg = -0.476, p = 2 × 10-4; PFMT Delayed: ρg = -0.376, p = 0.005), suggesting that the same genetic factors underlying risk for type 2 diabetes also influence poor cognitive performance in these domains. Performance in these domains was also associated with type 2 diabetes risk using an endophenotype ranking value approach. Specifically, on measures of attention (CPT d': β = -0.219, p = 0.005), working memory (digit span backward: β = -0.326, p = 0.035), and face memory (PFMT: β = -0.171, p = 0.023; PFMT Delayed: β = -0.215, p = 0.005), individuals with type 2 diabetes showed the lowest performance, while unaffected/unrelated individuals showed the highest performance, and those related to an individual with type 2 diabetes performed at an intermediate level.Conclusions/interpretationThese findings suggest that cognitive impairment may be a useful endophenotype of type 2 diabetes and, therefore, help to elucidate the pathophysiological underpinnings of this chronic disease.Data availabilityThe data analysed in this study is available in dbGaP: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/projects/gap/cgi-bin/study.cgi?study_id=phs001215.v2.p2.

Dataset Information

Shared genetic aetiology between cognitive performance and brain activations in language and math tasks.

Publications

Shared genetic aetiology between cognitive performance and brain activations in language and math tasks.

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