A new study at the University of California, Irvine, reveals that people with a gene variation that gives them less of a brain protein linked to memory retention performed more than 20% worse in a driving simulation than people who had higher levels of the protein.

So can lousy drivers blame their lack of awareness, slow reaction time and ill-considered risk-taking — in short, their infuriating awfulness — on their DNA? Since about 1 in 3 Americans appears to have the gene abnormality, not necessarily. But it could be a factor.

“Any behavior is the sum total of a number of different genes and factors, but this definitely suggests that this particular gene does affect short-term motor learning,” said Stephanie McHughen, a graduate student in UCI’s Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and the lead author of the study, which appeared recently in the journal Cerebral Cortex.

The researchers, led by Dr. Steven Cramer, chose 29 healthy volunteers ages 18-30. Twenty-two of the subjects had the normal gene that secretes a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. The protein facilitates communication among brain cells and keeps the memory fresh. The other seven subjects were known to have the gene variant, which limits the secretion of BDNF.

The subjects were asked to drive a video game-like simulator, complete with steering wheel and a monitor showing a racetrack, for 15 laps. The course was filled with tricky curves, and the drivers were graded on how far they deviated from the center.

Not only did the protein-deficient drivers perform worse on the initial exercise, they also retained less information about the course than their protein-rich counterparts when the exercise was repeated four days later.

While the test group was small, the research has implications for people who have suffered memory loss from brain or spinal trauma, such as accidents or strokes.

BDNF “gushes out” after such an event, said Cramer, an associate professor in UCI’s Neurology and Anatomy and Neurobiology departments.

But if the gene variant reduces the level of secreted BDNF in these victims, it also could slow their cognitive and motor-skill development as they recover.

“Let’s assume that evidence this compass is pointing to is true: that one-third of people have lesser outcomes after an injury as a result of this genetic variation,” Cramer said. “Then we need to do something different for these people.”

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