The Role of Variability in Monoamine Transporter Genes in Sport Physiology

Monoamine transporters (MATs) are responsible for the reuptake of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, modulating concentrations of these essential brain neurotransmitters and thus regulating behavior, mood, and cognitive functions. Studying the role of various genes in complex physiological processes is a promising area of neurobiology and sport physiology. Here, we summarize mounting evidence linking specific genetic variants of MAT genes to various aspects of sport performance. For example, the 10-repeat allele of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT), the L-allele of the serotonin transporter gene (SERT), and the single nucleotide polymorphism rs1805065 of the norepinephrine transporter gene (NET) appear to correlate with a higher athletic performance due to stress resistance, as well as the maintenance of motivation and cognitive behavioral competencies, i.e. qualities required to achieve sporting success. Thus, physiological performance in various sports may be partially genetically determined and controlled by the variability in the MAT genes.