Genetic mapping identifies Homer1 as a developmental modifier of attention

Abstract

Attention is required for most higher-order cognitive functions. Prior studies have revealed functional roles for the prefrontal cortex and its extended circuits to enabling attention, but the underlying molecular processes and their impacts on cellular and circuit function remain poorly understood. To develop insights, we here took an unbiased forward genetics approach to identify single genes of large effect on attention. We studied 200 genetically diverse mice on measures of pre-attentive processing and through genetic mapping identified a small locus on chromosome 13 (95%CI: 92.22-94.09 Mb) driving substantial variation (19%) in this trait. Further characterization of the locus revealed a causative gene, Homer1, encoding a synaptic protein, where down-regulation of its short isoforms in prefrontal cortex (PFC) during early postnatal development led to improvements in multiple measures of attention in the adult. Subsequent mechanistic studies revealed that prefrontal Homer1 down-regulation is associated with GABAergic receptor up-regulation in those same cells. This enhanced inhibitory influence, together with dynamic neuromodulatory coupling, led to strikingly low PFC activity at baseline periods of the task but targeted elevations at cue onset, predicting short-latency correct choices. Notably high-Homer1, low-attentional performers, exhibited uniformly elevated PFC activity throughout the task. We thus identify a single gene of large effect on attention - Homer1 - and find that it improves prefrontal inhibitory tone and signal-to-noise (SNR) to enhance attentional performance. A therapeutic strategy focused on reducing prefrontal activity and increasing SNR, rather than uniformly elevating PFC activity, may complement the use of stimulants to improve attention.