Genome-wide meta-analyses reveal novel loci for verbal short-term memory and learning.
Lahti J., Tuominen S., Yang Q., Pergola G., Ahmad S., Amin N., Armstrong NJ., Beiser A., Bey K., Bis JC., Boerwinkle E., Bressler J., Campbell A., Campbell H., Chen Q., Corley J., Cox SR., Davies G., De Jager PL., Derks EM., Faul JD., Fitzpatrick AL., Fohner AE., Ford I., Fornage M., Gerring Z., Grabe HJ., Grodstein F., Gudnason V., Simonsick E., Holliday EG., Joshi PK., Kajantie E., Kaprio J., Karell P., Kleineidam L., Knol MJ., Kochan NA., Kwok JB., Leber M., Lam M., Lee T., Li S., Loukola A., Luck T., Marioni RE., Mather KA., Medland S., Mirza SS., Nalls MA., Nho K., O'Donnell A., Oldmeadow C., Painter J., Pattie A., Reppermund S., Risacher SL., Rose RJ., Sadashivaiah V., Scholz M., Satizabal CL., Schofield PW., Schraut KE., Scott RJ., Simino J., Smith AV., Smith JA., Stott DJ., Surakka I., Teumer A., Thalamuthu A., Trompet S., Turner ST., van der Lee SJ., Villringer A., Völker U., Wilson RS., Wittfeld K., Vuoksimaa E., Xia R., Yaffe K., Yu L., Zare H., Zhao W., Ames D., Attia J., Bennett DA., Brodaty H., Chasman DI., Goldman AL., Hayward C., Ikram MA., Jukema JW., Kardia SLR., Lencz T., Loeffler M., Mattay VS., Palotie A., Psaty BM., Ramirez A., Ridker PM., Riedel-Heller SG., Sachdev PS., Saykin AJ., Scherer M., Schofield PR., Sidney S., Starr JM., Trollor J., Ulrich W., Wagner M., Weir DR., Wilson JF., Wright MJ., Weinberger DR., Debette S., Eriksson JG., Mosley TH., Launer LJ., van Duijn CM., Deary IJ., Seshadri S., Räikkönen K.
Understanding the genomic basis of memory processes may help in combating neurodegenerative disorders. Hence, we examined the associations of common genetic variants with verbal short-term memory and verbal learning in adults without dementia or stroke (N = 53,637). We identified novel loci in the intronic region of CDH18, and at 13q21 and 3p21.1, as well as an expected signal in the APOE/APOC1/TOMM40 region. These results replicated in an independent sample. Functional and bioinformatic analyses supported many of these loci and further implicated POC1. We showed that polygenic score for verbal learning associated with brain activation in right parieto-occipital region during working memory task. Finally, we showed genetic correlations of these memory traits with several neurocognitive and health outcomes. Our findings suggest a role of several genomic loci in verbal memory processes.