14 DAY TRIAL // German scientists from the University of Bonn announce in a new study that a variation detected in a single gene may play a role in forgetfulness, or short-term memory lapse. This is not the same type of forgetting as what we see in dementia, but rather the type that makes you forget where you have placed your keys the night before. This is one of the first studies to explain such processes.
The team determined that a certain variant of the dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) is responsible for promoting instances of forgetfulness. This modified gene makes it easier for carriers to get distracted and also to forget things, mainly due to issues they have with remaining attentive for long periods of time. Short-term memory lapses are common, but they can become a problem in some people.
For these individuals, instances where they cannot remember the name of the person they are talking on the phone with or forget why they have entered a room are particularly frequent. This can naturally lead to a decrease in their quality of life and to social issues with friends and family.
“Such short-term memory lapses are very common, but some people experience them particularly often,” explains Dr. Martin Reuter, the leader of the research. He holds an appointment with the Department for Differential and Biological Psychology at the University of Bonn. The expert says that the new study was based on past investigations showing that DRD2 may play a role in forgetfulness.
According to neuroscientists, this gene plays an essential role in promoting signal transmission within the frontal lobes of the human brain. “This structure can be compared to a director coordinating the brain like an orchestra,” adds University of Bonn researcher Dr. Sebastian Markett, who was the principal author of the research.
“The DRD2 gene acts as the conductor’s baton, because it plays a part in dopamine transmission in the brain. If the baton skips a beat, the orchestra gets confused,” Markett adds. The new investigation was carried out on a group of 500 test participants, who each allowed researchers to collect saliva samples.
The team then analyzed the type of DRD2 gene in each subject and established who had the C (cytosine) variant and who had the T (thymine) variant. A single letter in the genetic code is the sole difference between these two versions of the gene, PsychCentral reports.
Scientists were able to determine that both attention and memory were less clearly expressed in individuals carrying the T variant of DRD2. “The connection is obvious: Such lapses can partially be attributed to this gene variant,” Markett says. The frequency of forgetfulness was established by asking each participant to fill out a questionnaire.
Carrying the T variant of DRD2 is not the end of the world, though. Researchers say that simple tasks such as writing down notes or always putting your keys down in the same place are enough to reduce forgetfulness and improve attention.