Associations Between of the STin2VNTR Polymorphism of the Serotonin Transporter Gene and Characteristics of Attention on Aging Depend on the Intellectual Environment of Professional Activities

摘要

Extensive variation in mental aging is known to occur, due to age-related increases in the influences of environmental and genetic factors. We have previously established that cognitive training resulting from a high level of saturation of the intellectual environment of professional activity (scientific activity (SA), as compared with people not involved in professional scientific work (NSA) prevents age-related changes in several attention systems in nonpathological aging. As regards the role of genetic factors, cognitive capacities and the rate of their extinction in old age are significantly associated with polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene. According to the hypothesis that genetic factors have increasing influences on the background of declining cognitive reserves, the aim of the present work was to compare the effects of the STin2VNTR polymorphism of the serotonin transporter gene in relation to the characteristics of attention in younger (19–35 years) and older (over 55 years) members of the SA (n = 157) and NSA (n = 158) groups. Measures of three attention systems (vigilance, orientation, and executive) were analyzed in the Attentional Network (ANT) Test, along with the hemispheric characteristics of the motor component of the orienting response to novelty depending on the 10/10 (rare allele 9 was excluded from analysis), 10/12, and 12/12 genotypes of the STin2VNTR polymorphism. Membership of the SA group eliminated age-related and genetic differences. Genetic differences were apparent in the older subjects of the NSA group and were characterized by larger values for vigilance and right-hemisphere orienting responses and decreases in the effectiveness of executive attention in individuals with the 10/10 genotype as compared with carriers of allele 12. These data suggest that older subjects with the 10/10 genotype may be more sensitive to the actions of external factors such as mental training.