MAO-A phenotype effects response sensitivity and the parietal old/new effect during recognition memory

Date: 2018-02-13

Creator: Robert S. Ross, Andrew Smolen, Tim Curran, Erika Nyhus

Access: Open access

A critical problem for developing personalized treatment plans for cognitive disruptions is the lack of understanding how individual differences influence cognition. Recognition memory is one cognitive ability that varies from person to person and that variation may be related to different genetic phenotypes. One gene that may impact recognition memory is the monoamine oxidase A gene (MAO-A), which influences the transcription rate of MAO-A. Examination of how MAO-A phenotypes impact behavioral and event-related potentials (ERPs) correlates of recognition memory may help explain individual differences in recognition memory performance. Therefore, the current study uses electroencephalography (EEG) in combination with genetic phenotyping of the MAO-A gene to determine how well-characterized ERP components of recognition memory, the early frontal old/new effect, left parietal old/new effect, late frontal old/new effect, and the late posterior negativity (LPN) are impacted by MAO-A phenotype during item and source memory. Our results show that individuals with the MAO-A phenotype leading to increased transcription have lower response sensitivity during both item and source memory. Additionally, during item memory the left parietal old/new effect is not present due to increased ERP amplitude for correct rejections. The results suggest that MAO-A phenotype changes EEG correlates of recognition memory and influences how well individuals differentiate between old and new items.

Semantic and perceptual effects on recognition memory: Evidence from ERP

Date: 2009-08-04

Creator: Erika Nyhus, Tim Curran

Access: Open access

The present experiments examined how semantic vs. perceptual encoding and perceptual match affect the processes involved in recognition memory. Experiment 1 examined the effects of encoding task and perceptual match between study and test fonts on recognition discrimination for words. Font fan was used to determine the effect of distinctiveness on perceptual match. The semantic encoding task and perceptual match for distinctive items led to better recognition memory. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) recorded from the human scalp during recognition memory experiments have revealed differences between old (studied) and new (not studied) items that are thought to reflect the activity of memory-related brain processes. In Experiment 2, the semantic encoding task and perceptual match for distinctive words led to better recognition memory by acting on both familiarity and recollection processes, as purportedly indexed by the FN400 and parietal old/new effects. Combined these results suggest that the semantic encoding task and perceptual match for distinctive items aid recognition memory by acting on both familiarity and recollection processes. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.