International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Jun 2024)

Connection Failure: Differences in White Matter Microstructure Are Associated with <i>5-HTTLPR</i> but Not with Risk Seeking for Losses

  • Philipp T. Neukam,
  • Dirk K. Müller,
  • Yacila I. Deza-Lougovski,
  • Shakoor Pooseh,
  • Stephanie H. Witt,
  • Marcella Rietschel,
  • Michael N. Smolka

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126666
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 12
p. 6666

Abstract

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S/S carriers of 5-HTTLPR have been found to be more risk seeking for losses compared to L/L carriers. This finding may be the result of reduced top-down control from the frontal cortex due to altered signal pathways involving the amygdala and ventral striatum. The serotonergic system is known to be involved in neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether structural differences in white matter can explain the differences in risk-seeking behaviour. Lower structural connectivity in S/S compared to L/L carriers and a negative relationship between risk seeking for losses and connectivity were assumed. Diffusion-weighted imaging was used to compute diffusion parameters for the frontostriatal and uncinate tract in 175 genotyped individuals. The results showed no significant relationship between diffusion parameters and risk seeking for losses. Furthermore, we did not find significant differences in diffusion parameters of the S/S vs. L/L group. There were only group differences in the frontostriatal tract showing stronger structural connectivity in the S/L group, which is also reflected in the whole brain approach. Therefore, the data do not support the hypothesis that the association between 5-HTTLPR and risk seeking for losses is related to differences in white matter pathways implicated in decision-making.

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