A team of scientists at the National Institute of Mental Health has found that a variant of the gene responsible for transporting the neurotransmitter serotonin is linked to greater activity of the amygdala within the brain.1 The researchers, led by Daniel Weinberger, chief of NIMH's Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, used functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with one or two copies of the short allele of the serotonin transporter promoter. The fMRI demonstrated in-creased neuronal activity while these patients viewed faces showing emotional expressions.
The findings show that the gene SLC6A4 affects cognition and emotionality and can be studied directly at the level of brain, says Weinberger. "This will ultimately inform us about why certain genes contribute to emotionality." The research involved 28 subjects: 14 had two copies of the long allele; the remainder had at least one copy of the short allele.
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