AVPR1a and SLC6A4 Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Creative Dance Performance

Abstract

Dancing, which is integrally related to music, likely has its origins close to the birth of Homo sapiens, and throughout our history, dancing has been universally practiced in all societies. We hypothesized that there are differences among individuals in aptitude, propensity, and need for dancing that may partially be based on differences in common genetic polymorphisms. Identifying such differences may lead to an understanding of the neurobiological basis of one of mankind's most universal and appealing behavioral traits—dancing. In the current study, 85 current performing dancers and their parents were genotyped for the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4: promoter region HTTLPR and intron 2 VNTR) and the arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (AVPR1a: promoter microsatellites RS1 and RS3). We also genotyped 91 competitive athletes and a group of nondancers/nonathletes (n = 872 subjects from 414 families). Dancers scored higher on the Tellegen Absorption Scale, a questionnaire that correlates positively with spirituality and altered states of consciousness, as well as the Reward Dependence factor in Cloninger's Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire, a measure of need for social contact and openness to communication. Highly significant differences in AVPR1a haplotype frequencies (RS1 and RS3), especially when conditional on both SLC6A4 polymorphisms (HTTLPR and VNTR), were observed between dancers and athletes using the UNPHASED program package (Cocaphase: likelihood ratio test [LRS] = 89.23, p = 0.000044). Similar results were obtained when dancers were compared to nondancers/nonathletes (Cocaphase: LRS = 92.76, p = 0.000024). These results were confirmed using a robust family-based test (Tdtphase: LRS = 46.64, p = 0.010). Association was also observed between Tellegen Absorption Scale scores and AVPR1a (Qtdtphase: global chi-square = 26.53, p = 0.047), SLC6A4 haplotypes (Qtdtphase: chi-square = 2.363, p = 0.018), and AVPR1a conditional on SCL6A4 (Tdtphase: LRS = 250.44, p = 0.011). Similarly, significant association was observed between Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire Reward Dependence scores and AVPR1a RS1 (chi-square = 20.16, p = 0.01). Two-locus analysis (RS1 and RS3 conditional on HTTLPR and VNTR) was highly significant (LRS = 162.95, p = 0.001). Promoter repeat regions in the AVPR1a gene have been robustly demonstrated to play a role in molding a range of social behaviors in many vertebrates and, more recently, in humans. Additionally, serotonergic neurotransmission in some human studies appears to mediate human religious and spiritual experiences. We therefore hypothesize that the association between AVPR1a and SLC6A4 reflects the social communication, courtship, and spiritual facets of the dancing phenotype rather than other aspects of this complex phenotype, such as sensorimotor integration.

Genetic variants in AVPR1A linked to autism predict amygdala activation and personality traits in healthy humans

“…Importantly, a recent study showed that a similar cellular mechanism might operate in humans by demonstrating differences in mRNA expression in human hippocampus between long and short alleles of RS3. 19 A further link to social behaviour in general was provided by the same group that found association of RS1-RS3 haplotypes with a personality trait, reward dependence 20 and an impact of long and short alleles of RS3 on altruistic behaviour during an economic game, the dictator game. 19 Finally, Prichard et al 21 found an association of AVPR1A polymorphisms with another phenotype related to social behaviour, age of first intercourse.…”

Association of the arginine vasopressin receptor 1A (AVPR1A) haplotypes with listening to music

“…32 The dopaminergic and serotonergic systems have been shown to influence cognitive and motor functions in human and animal studies. 8,10,13,34,35 Neurophysiological studies have shown that listening to music has a strong impact on activity in a network of mesolimbic structures involved in reward processing. 34,35 We have previously studied the association between musical aptitude and creativity in music and the polymorphisms of the DRD2 (plus COMT and TPH1 genes), but did not found an association.…”

“…Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood with standard phenol-chloroform procedure. Genotyping of the highly variable microsatellites RS3 (corresponding to (CT) 4 -TT-(CT) 8 (GT) 24 ) and RS1 (corresponding to (GATA) 14 ) residing in the promoter region and AVR (corresponding to (GT) 14 (GA) 13 (A) 8 ) microsatellite in the intron of the AVPR1A gene was performed ( Figure 2). 22 The SLC6A4 promoter region 5-HTTLPR and the VNTR microsatellite were genotyped as described by Ukkola et al 8 Primer sequences are available on request from the authors.…”

“…The role of the SLC6A4 polymorphism 5-HTTLPR has previously been studied in reward-seeking behaviors, 10 and in neuropsychiatric conditions. 11-12 SLC6A4 together with AVPR1A polymorphisms have been reported to associate with artistic creativity in professional dancers 13 and with short-term musical memory. 14 The human serotonin transporter (SLC6A4; 5-HTT) is expressed in the brain, mainly in the areas involved with emotions in the cortex and limbic systems.…”

ADHD risk alleles associated with opiate addiction: study of addicted parents and their children

“…The studies on dopamine receptors were performed according to methods described by Treister et al (38) and those on serotonin transporter according to methods described by Bachner-Melman et al (39). In brief, they are as follows: DRD4 (38): The DRD4 exon III polymorphism was characterized using the following primers: DRD4 P1 5′-GGC GTT GCC GCT CTG AAT GC-3′ and DRD4 P2 5′-GAG GGA CTG AGC TGG ACA ACC-3′.…”