Facial Sadness Recognition is Modulated by Estrogen Receptor Gene Polymorphisms in Healthy Females

• Main Authors: Mayra Gutiérrez-Muñoz, Martha E. Fajardo-Araujo, Erika G. González-Pérez, Victor E. Aguirre-Arzola, Silvia Solís-Ortiz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-12-01
• Series: Brain Sciences
• Subjects: menopause; <i>ESR1</i>; <i>ESR2</i>; emotion; recognition; sadness
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/8/12/219

Polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor <i>ESR1</i> and <i>ESR2</i> genes have been linked with cognitive deficits and affective disorders. The effects of these genetic variants on emotional processing in females with low estrogen levels are not well known. The aim was to explore the impact of the <i>ESR1</i> and <i>ESR2</i> genes on the responses to the facial emotion recognition task in females. Postmenopausal healthy female volunteers were genotyped for the polymorphisms Xbal and PvuII of <i>ESR1</i> and the polymorphism rs1256030 of <i>ESR2</i>. The effect of these polymorphisms on the response to the facial emotion recognition of the emotions happiness, sadness, disgust, anger, surprise, and fear was analyzed. Females carrying the P allele of the PvuII polymorphism or the X allele of the Xbal polymorphism of <i>ESR1</i> easily recognized facial expressions of sadness that were more difficult for the women carrying the p allele or the x allele. They displayed higher accuracy, fast response time, more correct responses, and fewer omissions to complete the task, with a large effect size. Women carrying the <i>ESR2</i> C allele of <i>ESR2</i> showed a faster response time for recognizing facial expressions of anger. These findings link <i>ESR1</i> and <i>ESR2</i> polymorphisms in facial emotion recognition of negative emotions.