State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
Neuroimage. 2014 Mar;88:181-7. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.11.035. Epub 2013 Nov 27.
The Allen Brain Atlas shows that the semaphorin 5A (SEMA5A) gene, which encodes an important protein for neurogenesis and neuronal apoptosis, is predominantly expressed in the human hippocampus. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies have further shown that the hippocampus plays an important role in the performance on Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM), a measure of reasoning ability and general fluid intelligence. Thus far, however, no study has examined the relationships between the SEMA5A gene polymorphism, hippocampal volume, and RPM performance. The current study collected both structural MRI, genetic, and behavioral data in 329 healthy Chinese adults, and examined associations between SEMA5A variants, hippocampal volume, and performance on RAPM (the advanced form of RPM). After controlling for intracranial volume (ICV), sex, and age, SEMA5A genetic polymorphism at the SNP rs42352 had the strongest association with hippocampal volume (p=0.00000552 and 0.000103 for right and left hippocampal volumes, respectively), with TT homozygotes having higher hippocampal volume than the other genotypes. Furthermore, there was a high correlation between right hippocampal volume and RAPM performance (r=0.42, p=0.0000509) for SEMA5A rs42352 TT homozygotes. This study provides the first evidence for the involvement of the SEMA5A gene in hippocampal structure and their interaction on RAPM performance. Future studies of the hippocampus-RPM associations should consider genetic factors as potential moderators.
《艾伦脑图谱》表明，神经发生和神经元凋亡的重要蛋白编码基因 semaphorin 5A（SEMA5A）主要在人海马体中表达。结构和功能神经影像学研究进一步表明，海马体在 Raven 的渐进矩阵（RPM）表现中起着重要作用，RPM 是衡量推理能力和一般流体智力的一种手段。然而，迄今为止，尚无研究探讨 SEMA5A 基因多态性、海马体体积和 RPM 表现之间的关系。本研究在 329 名健康中国成年人中收集了结构 MRI、遗传和行为数据，并研究了 SEMA5A 变体、海马体体积和 RPM（RPM 的高级形式）表现之间的关联。在控制了颅内体积（ICV）、性别和年龄后，SNP rs42352 处的 SEMA5A 遗传多态性与海马体体积的关联最强（右侧海马体体积的 p 值分别为 0.00000552 和 0.000103，左侧海马体体积的 p 值分别为 0.00000552 和 0.000103），TT 纯合子的海马体体积高于其他基因型。此外，对于 SEMA5A rs42352 TT 纯合子，右侧海马体体积与 RAPM 表现之间存在高度相关性（r=0.42，p=0.0000509）。本研究首次提供了 SEMA5A 基因参与海马体结构及其对 RAPM 表现相互作用的证据。未来关于海马体-RPM 关联的研究应考虑遗传因素作为潜在的调节剂。
