Influence of Serotonin Transporter SLC6A4 Genotype on the Effect of Psychosocial Stress on Cognitive Performance: An Exploratory Pilot Study

Abstract

Genetic susceptibility to stress conferred by SLC6A4 appeared to modulate unconstrained cognitive flexibility during psychosocial stress in this exploratory sample. If confirmed, this finding may have implications for conditions associated with increased stress response, including performance anxiety and cocaine withdrawal. Future work is needed both to confirm our findings with a larger sample and to explore the mechanisms of this proposed effect.