%0 Journal Article
%T Genetic moderation of the association between regulatory focus and reward responsiveness: a proof-of-concept study
%A Goetz Elena L
%A Hariri Ahmad R
%A Pizzagalli Diego A
%A Strauman Timothy J
%J Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders
%D 2013
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/2045-5380-3-3
%X Background Recent studies implicate individual differences in regulatory focus as contributing to self-regulatory dysfunction, particularly not responding to positive outcomes. How such individual differences emerge, however, is unclear. We conducted a proof-of-concept study to examine the moderating effects of genetically driven variation in dopamine signaling, a key modulator of neural reward circuits, on the association between regulatory focus and reward cue responsiveness. Method Healthy Caucasians (N=59) completed a measure of chronic regulatory focus and a probabilistic reward task. A common functional genetic polymorphism impacting prefrontal dopamine signaling (COMT rs4680) was evaluated. Results Response bias, the participants¡¯ propensity to modulate behavior as a function of reward, was predicted by an interaction of regulatory focus and COMT genotype. Specifically, self-perceived success at achieving promotion goals predicted total response bias, but only for individuals with the COMT genotype (Val/Val) associated with relatively increased phasic dopamine signaling and cognitive flexibility. Conclusions The combination of success in promotion goal pursuit and Val/Val genotype appears to facilitate responding to reward opportunities in the environment. This study is among the first to integrate an assessment of self-regulatory style with an examination of genetic variability that underlies responsiveness to positive outcomes in goal pursuit.
%K Regulatory focus
%K Self-regulation
%K Reward responsiveness
%K Dopamine
%K COMT
%U http://www.biolmoodanxietydisord.com/content/3/1/3