The role of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) for the processing of aversive stimuli.
The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a crucial component of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and as such a part of the stress response system. An impairment of the GR not only alters the level of glucocorticoids, but also modulates cognitive functions and the processing of emotional stimuli. We tested the effects of functional polymorphisms of the GR-encoding gene (NR3C1) on the processing of emotional stimuli on a basal level. In a sample of n=182 participants, we found a haplotype (NR3C1-CTGGACA) to modulate the performance in an emotional reaction time task. Compared to non-carriers, participants who carried the haplotype were quicker to react after aversive stimuli had been presented. In contrast, the presence of the haplotype had no effect on the processing of neutral stimuli. We conclude that properties of the glucocorticoid receptor contribute to the processing of emotional stimuli and influence the intensity of their processing even in the absence of acute stressors.
['Schneider|Katja Kerstin|KK|', 'Frings|Christian|C|', 'Meyer|Jobst|J|', 'Schote|Andrea B|AB|']
D001362:Avoidance Learning D003071:Cognition D004644:Emotions D005260:Female D006239:Haplotypes D006801:Humans D008297:Male D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide D011930:Reaction Time D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid D055815:Young Adult
Glucocorticoid receptor Emotional processing NR3C1 gene