Candidate Gene Studies
Integrating methods from molecular biology and cognitive science, our association studies investigate genetic influences on psychological and biological aspects of emotion and cognition. We have focused on functional polymorphisms in genes related to neural signaling or neural development, such as the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and the corticotropin-releasing factortype one receptor (CRFR1) genes, but more polymorphisms are added every year. Our studies aim to identify genetic influences on emotional development during adolescence and early adulthood, genetic moderators of the relations between emotion and cognition, and cognitive and neural endophenotypes of emotional vulnerability.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Miu, A. C., Cărnuţă, M., Vulturar, R., Szekely-Copîndean, R. D., Bîlc, M. I., Chiş, A., Cioară, M., Fernandez, K. C., Szentágotai-Tătar, A., & Gross, J. J. (2017). BDNFVal66Met polymorphism moderates the link between child maltreatment and reappraisal ability. Genes, Brain and Behavior 16(4), 419-426.
Vulturar, R., Chiș, A., Hambrich, M., Kelemen, B., Ungureanu, L., & Miu. A. C. (2016). Allelic Distribution of BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism in Healthy Romanian Volunteers. Translational Neuroscience 7, 31-34.
Miu, A. C., Vulturar, R., Chiș, A., Ungureanu, L., & Gross, J. J. (2013). Reappraisal as a mediator in the link between 5-HTTLPR and social anxiety symptoms. Emotion 13, 1012-1022.
Vulturar, R., Chiș, A., Ungureanu, L., & Miu, A. C. (2012). Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphisms: Taking a triallelic approach makes a difference. Psychophysiology 49, 1412-1416.
Miu, A. C., Crişan, L. G., Chiş, A., Ungureanu, L., Drugă, B., & Vulturar, R. (2012). Somatic markers mediate the effect of serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms on Iowa Gambling Task. Genes, Brain and Behavior 11, 398-403.
