Cited by 87Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesSchizophrenia research and treatment

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 206 of the 206 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 3 of the 164 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Developmental imaging genetics: Linking dopamine function to adolescent behavior

Open access
Padmanabhan, Aarthi, Luna, Beatriz·2014·Brain and Cognition

Abstract

Adolescence is a period of development characterized by numerous neurobiological changes that significantly influence behavior and brain function. Adolescence is of particular interest due to the alarming statistics indicating that mortality rates increase two to three-fold during this time compared to childhood, due largely to a peak in risk-taking behaviors resulting from increased impulsivity and sensation seeking. Furthermore, there exists large unexplained variability in these behaviors that are in part mediated by biological factors. Recent advances in molecular genetics and functional neuroimaging have provided a unique and exciting opportunity to noninvasively study the influence of genetic factors on brain function in humans. While genes do not code for specific behaviors, they do determine the structure and function of proteins that are essential to the neuronal processes that underlie behavior. Therefore, studying the interaction of genotype with measures of brain function over development could shed light on critical time points when biologically mediated individual differences in complex behaviors emerge. Here we review animal and human literature examining the neurobiological basis of adolescent development related to dopamine neurotransmission. Dopamine is of critical importance because of (1) its role in cognitive and affective behaviors, (2) its role in the pathogenesis of major psychopathology, and (3) the protracted development of dopamine signaling pathways over adolescence. We will then focus on current research examining the role of dopamine-related genes on brain function. We propose the use of imaging genetics to examine the influence of genetically mediated dopamine variability on brain function during adolescence, keeping in mind the limitations of this approach.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review argues that developmental imaging genetics can link genetically mediated dopamine variability to adolescent frontostriatal function and incentive-driven behavior. It synthesizes animal and human literature on dopamine maturation and dopamine-related gene variants, while emphasizing that gene effects likely change across development and require longitudinal, adequately powered designs.

Key findings

  • Adolescence is marked by increased risk-taking and mortality rates that increase two- to three-fold compared with childhood, alongside peaks in sensation/novelty seeking and immature cognitive control.
  • Dopamine signaling is heightened in adolescence via peaks in midbrain DA neuron activity, tonic DA levels, prefrontal innervation, and receptor densities; human post-mortem work finds D1 receptor densities peak around 14–18 years of age.
  • Functional dopamine gene variants are associated with frontostriatal function: COMT met allele has approximately one third less enzyme activity and higher synaptic dopamine; DRD4 7-repeat is linked to reduced postsynaptic DA inhibition and increased ventral striatal reward reactivity; DAT1 9-repeat is linked to reduced DAT expression and greater striatal synaptic DA.
  • Developmental imaging genetics findings can reverse direction relative to adulthood: DRD2 TaqIA A1 allele is associated with decreased reward reactivity in adolescent ventral/dorsal striatum, whereas in adults it has been associated with increased reward reactivity; DAT1 9-repeat shows reduced prefrontal/striatal activation in adolescents during inhibitory control and reward prediction, opposite to adult associations.

Methods

  • Narrative review of animal and human literature on adolescent frontostriatal development, dopamine neurotransmission, and imaging genetics studies of dopamine-related polymorphisms.
  • Focuses on functional and structural MRI/fMRI studies of DRD1, DRD2, DRD4, COMT, and DAT1, plus gene-gene interaction and multilocus composite-score approaches.
  • No primary sample or new empirical analysis is reported; the paper proposes developmental imaging genetics as a future research framework.

Limitations

  • The paper states that imaging genetics mainly studies common high-frequency alleles with small effects, cannot establish causal genetic links, and requires well-defined phenotypes, larger samples, multimodal measures, and translational animal models.
  • It notes that many dopamine developmental findings are inconsistent, largely from non-human animal models, and have not been directly mapped onto adolescent behavior; initial developmental COMT and DAT1 studies are mixed and need replication.
  • Evident from the text: this is a narrative review rather than a systematic review or meta-analysis, and it repeatedly identifies limited developmental imaging genetics studies and absent age-by-genotype tests.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.bandc.2013.09.011

Cites

206 of 206 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims the paper makes

87 Not checked yet · 22 Own interpretation · 5 No basis given · 2 Partly supported · accuracy not yet measured

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Show all 42 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 55
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 29
74 of 74
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The risk factors for mental illnesses that emerge in adolescence are not fully characterized.

    “the risk factors for which are not fully characterized.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Each individual is at their own peak in sensation and novelty seeking.

    “with the assumption that each individual is at their own peak in sensation and novelty seeking”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    DA signaling supports reinforcement learning by tuning the strength of synapses, thereby influencing plasticity.

    “First, DA signaling supports reinforcement learning as it tunes the strength of synapses, thereby influencing plasticity.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Characterizing the nature of neurochemical systems in human development is challenging, as pharmacological and other invasive procedures (i.e. PET) typically cannot be used to study developing populations.

    “Methodologically, characterizing the nature of neurochemical systems in human development is challenging, as pharmacological and other invasive procedures (i.e. PET) typically cannot be used to study developing populations.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Genetic influences on behavior are mediated by changes in cellular and systems levels of functioning in the brain.

    “This approach is grounded in the notion that genetic influences on behavior are mediated by changes in cellular and systems levels of functioning in the brain.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    D1 receptors are more abundant in the direct pathway, exciting GABAergic neurons in response to preferred behaviors, and D2 in the indirect pathway, which inhibit GABAergic neurons and reduce the inhibitory effect of the indirect pathway.

    “D1 receptors are more abundant in the direct pathway, exciting GABAergic neurons in response to preferred behaviors, and D2 in the indirect pathway, which inhibit GABAergic neurons and reduce the inhibitory effect of the indirect pathway.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Limited research has examined polymorphisms of the D1-receptor gene (DRD1) in relation to brain structure/function.

    “Limited research has examined polymorphisms of the D1-receptor gene (DRD1) in relation to brain structure/function.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    D1 and D2 receptor densities peak in late childhood, so receptor density is higher in adolescence than in adulthood.

    “Current research suggests that D1 and D2 receptor densities peak in late childhood, suggesting that receptor density is higher in adolescence relative to adulthood.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Each polymorphism has equal effect sizes.

    “Assuming equal effect sizes of each polymorphism”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The genetic basis for complex behavioral traits is likely a result of allelic variation across many genes/polymorphisms and their interactions with each other and the environment.

    “The genetic basis for complex behavioral traits is likely a result of allelic variation across many genes/polymorphisms and their interactions with each other and the environment.”
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The alleles are relatively evenly distributed.

    “Assuming a relatively even distribution of the alleles”
11 of 11

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Metadata

Authors
Padmanabhan, A., & Luna, B.
Affiliations
University of Pittsburgh (US)
Corresponding author
Padmanabhan, Aarthi
Venue
Brain and Cognition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-08
Volume
89
Pages
27-38
ISSN
0278-2626 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2024479703
Cited by
87
References
206
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 4
FWCI
0.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Brain and Cognition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH080243)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
Keywords
imaging genetics, dopamine, adolescent development, dopamine signaling, risk-taking, impulsivity, sensation seeking, individual differences in behavior, psychopathology
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Animals, Brain, Brain Mapping, Dopamine, Genotype, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Polymorphism, Genetic, Receptors, Dopamine, Adolescent Development, Genetic Association Studies

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