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Corrone M, Nanev A, Amato I, Bicknell R, Piantella S, Maruff P, van den Buuse M, Wright BJ. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66met polymorphism is associated with better attention and working memory performance and resilience to mild chronic stress. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:3903-3916. [PMID: 37740693 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
The val66met polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene has been identified as a potential moderator for the relationship between chronic stress and executive functioning. However, whether the presence of the met allele increases cognitive vulnerability or resilience to stress has yet to be determined. Given the established effects of autonomic activity and psychological arousal on executive functioning, in the present study, 56 healthy university students completed self-report measures of chronic stress, positive arousal (vigour) and negative arousal (anxiety) and measured heart-rate variability to quantify autonomic activity. Participants then completed a cognitive test battery that measured attention, decision-making, visual learning and working memory. Regression analyses demonstrated that Val/met participants performed better on attention and working memory tasks than Val/val participants, but no differences were seen in decision-making and visual learning. Further, Val/met participants were protected from stress-related differences in attention seen in Val/val participants. Val66met was not associated with physiological or psychological arousal. This study demonstrates that val66met plays an important but selective role in cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Corrone
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aleshia Nanev
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Isabella Amato
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rowena Bicknell
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan Piantella
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Maruff
- Cogstate Ltd, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bradley J Wright
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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He XY, Wu BS, Kuo K, Zhang W, Ma Q, Xiang ST, Li YZ, Wang ZY, Dong Q, Feng JF, Cheng W, Yu JT. Association between polygenic risk for Alzheimer's disease and brain structure in children and adults. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:109. [PMID: 37312172 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The correlations between genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) with comprehensive brain regions at a regional scale are still not well understood. We aim to explore whether these associations vary across different age stages. METHODS This study used large existing genome-wide association datasets to calculate polygenic risk score (PRS) for AD in two populations from the UK Biobank (N ~ 23 000) and Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (N ~ 4660) who had multimodal macrostructural and microstructural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics. We used linear mixed-effect models to assess the strength of the association between AD PRS and multiple MRI metrics of regional brain structures at different stages of life. RESULTS Compared to those with lower PRSs, adolescents with higher PRSs had thinner cortex in the caudal anterior cingulate and supramarginal. In the middle-aged and elderly population, AD PRS had correlations with regional structure shrink primarily located in the cingulate, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala, and striatum, whereas the brain expansion was concentrated near the occipital lobe. Furthermore, both adults and adolescents with higher PRSs exhibited widespread white matter microstructural changes, indicated by decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) or increased mean diffusivity (MD). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, our results suggest genetic loading for AD may influence brain structures in a highly dynamic manner, with dramatically different patterns at different ages. This age-specific change is consistent with the classical pattern of brain impairment observed in AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yu He
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bang-Sheng Wu
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kevin Kuo
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Ma
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Tong Xiang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Zhu Li
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zi-Yi Wang
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Dong
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Feng Feng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- ISTBI-ZJNU Algorithm Centre for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
- Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- ISTBI-ZJNU Algorithm Centre for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China.
| | - Jin-Tai Yu
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, National Center for Neurological Disorders, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Yamaguchi R, Matsudaira I, Takeuchi H, Imanishi T, Kimura R, Tomita H, Kawashima R, Taki Y. RELN rs7341475 associates with brain structure in japanese healthy females. Neuroscience 2022; 494:38-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Kennedy KG, Shahatit Z, Dimick MK, Fiksenbaum L, Freeman N, Zai CC, Kennedy JL, MacIntosh BJ, Goldstein BI. Neurostructural correlates of BDNF rs6265 genotype in youth bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2022; 24:185-194. [PMID: 34263997 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.13116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rs6265 single-nucleotide polymorphism has been associated with bipolar disorder (BD), and with brain structure among adults with BD. We set out to investigate the association of the BDNF rs6265 Met allele with neurostructural phenotypes in youth BD. METHODS Caucasian youth (N = 99; 13-20 years; n = 56 BD, n = 43 age and sex-matched healthy controls) underwent 3-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging and genotyping for BDNF rs6265. Region of interest (ROI) analyses of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and hippocampus were complemented by vertex-wise analyses examining cortical thickness, surface area (SA) and volume. Multivariable models included the main effects of diagnosis and gene, and a diagnosis-by-genotype interaction term, controlling for age, sex, and intracranial volume. RESULTS There were no significant gene main effects or diagnosis-by-gene interaction effects in ROI analyses. The vertex-wise analysis yielded a significant gene main effect whereby Met allele carriers had greater middle temporal gyrus SA (p = 0.001) and supramarginal gyrus volume (p = 0.03) than Val/Val individuals. Significant interaction effects were found on lateral occipital lobe SA (p = 0.03), whereby the Met allele was associated with increased SA in BD only. Interaction effects were also found on postcentral gyrus SA (p = 0.049) and supramarginal gyrus SA (p = 0.04), with smaller SA in BD Met carriers versus healthy control Met carriers. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that BDNF rs6265 is differentially associated with regional SA in youth BD. Further investigation is warranted to evaluate whether BDNF protein levels mediate the observed effects, and to evaluate rs6265-related developmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kody G Kennedy
- Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zaid Shahatit
- Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mikaela K Dimick
- Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa Fiksenbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Natalie Freeman
- Psychiatric Neurogenetics Section, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Clement C Zai
- Psychiatric Neurogenetics Section, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James L Kennedy
- Psychiatric Neurogenetics Section, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bradley J MacIntosh
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Heart and Stroke Foundation Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin I Goldstein
- Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Interaction between dietary total antioxidant capacity and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on lipid profiles and atherogenic indices among diabetic patients. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19108. [PMID: 34580389 PMCID: PMC8476521 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98663-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to the "neurotrophin" family of growth factors, and it has recently been associated to cardiovascular disease (CVD). We anticipated that BDNF Val66Met polymorphisms may alter CVD risk markers such as serum lipid profile differences, and interaction with total antioxidant capacity of diet (DTAC) could alter these clinical parameters. This cross-sectional study consisted of 667 diabetic patients (39.7% male and 60.3% female). DTAC was calculated by international databases. Biochemical markers including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), superoxide dismutase (SOD), C-reactive protein (CRP), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), pentraxin-3 (PTX3), isoprostaneF2α (PGF2α). interleukin 18 (IL18), leptin and ghrelin were measured by standard protocol. Atherogenic indices (AIP, AC, CR-I, CR-II) were calculated. Genotyping of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphisms was conducted by the real-time PCR-RFLP method. The gene-diet interactions were evaluated using a generalized linear mode (GLMs). Carriers of the Val/Met genotype who were in the higher median intake of FRAP had lower HDL (P:0.04) and higher TG (P:0.005), AIP (P:0.02) and AC (P:0.02) index compared to Val/Val genotypes with lower median intake. Moreover, diabetic patients with Val/Met genotype who consumed higher ORAC intake had increased odds for anthropometric indices (BMI (P:0.01) and WC (P:0.03)), lipid profiles (TG) (P:0.01), and atherogenic index (AIP) (P:0.02), also decreased odds for HDL (P:0.03) concentration compared to reference group whit lower ORAC intake. Individuals with Val/Met genotype who consumed higher TRAP intake had increased odds for WC (P:0.04), TC (P:0.001), TG (P < 0.001), AIP (P < 0.001) and AC (P < 0.001). Finally, Val/Met patients with a higher median intake of TEAC had higher TG (P:0.02), AIP (P:0.009) and AC (P:0.03) compared to the reference group whit lower TEAC intake. Our study showed that Val/Met genotype had also the highest lipid profile and atherogenic indices even in the highest adherence to DTAC. While it seems that the presence of the Val/Val wild-type and BDNF Met/Met homozygotes in diabetic patients with a high DTAC is a protective factor.
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Effect of the interaction between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and daily physical activity on mean diffusivity. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 14:806-820. [PMID: 30617785 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-0025-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have reported that the Met allele of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphism reduces neural plasticity. A reduction in mean diffusivity (MD) in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) characteristically reflects the neural plasticity that involves increased tissue components. In this study, we revealed that the number of Met-BDNF alleles was negatively associated with MD throughout the whole-brain gray and white matter areas of 743 subjects using DTI and whole-brain multiple regression analyses. Within the same sample, the region of interest analysis revealed that the number of Met-BDNF alleles significantly and positively correlated with the mean FA value in the body of the corpus callosum. In addition, we observed interaction effects between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and daily physical activity levels on MD, but not FA, in significant clusters of the bilateral hemisphere (n = 577 subjects). Post-hoc multiple regression analyses revealed that after correcting for confounding variables, there was a significant negative correlation between the physical activity level and mean MD of the whole brain in the Val/Val group [standardized partial regression coefficient (β) = -0.196, P = 0.005, t = -2.825], but not in the Val/Met (β = 0.050, P = 0.412, t = 0.822) and Met/Met groups (β = 0.092, P = 0.382, t = 0.878). These results underscore the importance of the interaction between physical activity and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, which affects the plasticity of neural mechanisms.
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Kawasaki Y, Oishi K, Hernandez A, Ernst T, Wu D, Otsuka Y, Ceritoglu C, Chang L. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met variant on brain volumes in infants. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:919-925. [PMID: 33474578 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02207-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has many important roles in neurogenesis and neuronal health. BDNF is also involved in learning and memory. Individuals with BDNF-Val66Met variant (Met +) are at higher risk for neuropsychiatric disorders and have smaller hippocampi and amgydalae compared to those without this variant (Met -). Whether these smaller brain volumes are already present at birth is unknown and were evaluated. 66 newborn infants were genotyped for BDNF-rs6265 and had brain MRI scans. The T1-weighted images were automatically parcellated for hippocampus and amygdala, as well as the intracranial volume (ICV), total brain volume, total gray and white matter, using a multi-atlas label fusion method implemented in the MRICloud ( https://braingps.anatomyworks.org ). The segmented brain volumes were normalized to the ICV for group comparisons. The two infant groups were not different in their demographics and birth characteristics. However, compared to Met - infants, the Met + infants had smaller hippocampi (p = 0.013), smaller amygdalae (p = 0.041), and less steep age-related declines in total brain volume and % white matter volume. The smaller relative hippocampal and amygdala volumes in Met + infants suggest that the Met + genotype affected prenatal developmental processes. In addition, the slower age-dependent declines in the relative total brain and white matter volumes of the Met + group in this cross-sectional dataset suggest the BDNF-Val66Met variant might have an ongoing negative influence on the postnatal developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukako Kawasaki
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Neonatology, Maternal and Perinatal Center, Toyama University Hospital, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kenichi Oishi
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Antonette Hernandez
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Thomas Ernst
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, and Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University of School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yoshihisa Otsuka
- Department of Neurology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Can Ceritoglu
- Center for Imaging Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Linda Chang
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA.
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, and Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University of School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Are serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations related to brain structure and psychopathology in late childhood and early adolescence? CNS Spectr 2020; 25:790-796. [PMID: 31845634 DOI: 10.1017/s1092852919001688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mental disorders can have a major impact on brain development. Peripheral blood concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are lower in adult psychiatric disorders. Serum BDNF concentrations and BDNF genotype have been associated with cortical maturation in children and adolescents. In 2 large independent samples, this study tests associations between serum BDNF concentrations, brain structure, and psychopathology, and the effects of BDNF genotype on BDNF serum concentrations in late childhood and early adolescence. METHODS Children and adolescents (7-14 years old) from 2 cities (n = 267 in Porto Alegre; n = 273 in São Paulo) were evaluated as part of the Brazilian high-risk cohort (HRC) study. Serum BDNF concentrations were quantified by sandwich ELISA. Genotyping was conducted from blood or saliva samples using the SNParray Infinium HumanCore Array BeadChip. Subcortical volumes and cortical thickness were quantified using FreeSurfer. The Development and Well-Being Behavior Assessment was used to identify the presence of a psychiatric disorder. RESULTS Serum BDNF concentrations were not associated with subcortical volumes or with cortical thickness. Serum BDNF concentration did not differ between participants with and without mental disorders, or between Val homozygotes and Met carriers. CONCLUSIONS No evidence was found to support serum BDNF concentrations as a useful marker of developmental differences in brain and behavior in early life. Negative findings were replicated in 2 of the largest independent samples investigated to date.
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Colucci-D’Amato L, Speranza L, Volpicelli F. Neurotrophic Factor BDNF, Physiological Functions and Therapeutic Potential in Depression, Neurodegeneration and Brain Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7777. [PMID: 33096634 PMCID: PMC7589016 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 382] [Impact Index Per Article: 95.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most distributed and extensively studied neurotrophins in the mammalian brain. BDNF signals through the tropomycin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and the low affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). BDNF plays an important role in proper growth, development, and plasticity of glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses and through modulation of neuronal differentiation, it influences serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission. BDNF acts as paracrine and autocrine factor, on both pre-synaptic and post-synaptic target sites. It is crucial in the transformation of synaptic activity into long-term synaptic memories. BDNF is considered an instructive mediator of functional and structural plasticity in the central nervous system (CNS), influencing dendritic spines and, at least in the hippocampus, the adult neurogenesis. Changes in the rate of adult neurogenesis and in spine density can influence several forms of learning and memory and can contribute to depression-like behaviors. The possible roles of BDNF in neuronal plasticity highlighted in this review focus on the effect of antidepressant therapies on BDNF-mediated plasticity. Moreover, we will review data that illustrate the role of BDNF as a potent protective factor that is able to confer protection against neurodegeneration, in particular in Alzheimer's disease. Finally, we will give evidence of how the involvement of BDNF in the pathogenesis of brain glioblastoma has emerged, thus opening new avenues for the treatment of this deadly cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Colucci-D’Amato
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 81100 Caserta, Italy
- InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences (CIRN), University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Luisa Speranza
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA;
| | - Floriana Volpicelli
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy;
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Tian T, Li J, Zhang G, Wang J, Liu D, Wan C, Fang J, Wu D, Zhou Y, Zhu W. Effects of childhood trauma experience and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on brain plasticity relate to emotion regulation. Behav Brain Res 2020; 398:112949. [PMID: 33053385 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism may modulate the link between childhood trauma experience and psychopathology by altering trophic signaling on neuroplasticity. However, few multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) researches have investigated this gene-environment interaction on both structural and functional plasticity, thereby advancing knowledge about the etiology, prevention, and customized therapeutic directions of mental disease in individuals with childhood trauma experience. We recruited a large non-clinical sample of young adults that completed Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), behavioral scores, multimodal MRI scans, and genotyping. Morphometric similarity network (MSN) and independent component analysis were adopted to quantify brain structural and functional changes. Gene-environment-brain-behavior relationships were identified by multiple regression and mediation effect analysis. CTQ score was positively associated with depression and anxiety scores. We found interactions on MSN in sensorimotor, temporal, and orbitofrontal cortex. For intra-network connectivity, significant interaction was noted in clusters within sensorimotor network. For inter-network connectivity, connectivity between dorsal attention network and salience network showed an interactive effect. For mean connectivity strength of each network, we found a main effect of CTQ score on self-reference network that was an outstanding mediator supporting the relationship between CTQ score and anxiety. Our findings demonstrate that childhood trauma and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism are associated with brain plasticity involving emotion regulation, structurally and functionally, which may contribute to understanding psychotic mechanisms and predicting differential susceptibility. Imaging genetics may be useful as biomarkers to provide early assessment and guide cognitive interventions to avoid or decrease the risk of developing psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tian
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Guiling Zhang
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Dong Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Changhua Wan
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Jicheng Fang
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Di Wu
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Yiran Zhou
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Wenzhen Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China.
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Notaras M, van den Buuse M. Neurobiology of BDNF in fear memory, sensitivity to stress, and stress-related disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:2251-2274. [PMID: 31900428 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0639-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is widely accepted for its involvement in resilience and antidepressant drug action, is a common genetic locus of risk for mental illnesses, and remains one of the most prominently studied molecules within psychiatry. Stress, which arguably remains the "lowest common denominator" risk factor for several mental illnesses, targets BDNF in disease-implicated brain regions and circuits. Altered stress-related responses have also been observed in animal models of BDNF deficiency in vivo, and BDNF is a common downstream intermediary for environmental factors that potentiate anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. However, BDNF's broad functionality has manifested a heterogeneous literature; likely reflecting that BDNF plays a hitherto under-recognized multifactorial role as both a regulator and target of stress hormone signaling within the brain. The role of BDNF in vulnerability to stress and stress-related disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is a prominent example where inconsistent effects have emerged across numerous models, labs, and disciplines. In the current review we provide a contemporary update on the neurobiology of BDNF including new data from the behavioral neuroscience and neuropsychiatry literature on fear memory consolidation and extinction, stress, and PTSD. First we present an overview of recent advances in knowledge on the role of BDNF within the fear circuitry, as well as address mounting evidence whereby stress hormones interact with endogenous BDNF-TrkB signaling to alter brain homeostasis. Glucocorticoid signaling also acutely recruits BDNF to enhance the expression of fear memory. We then include observations that the functional common BDNF Val66Met polymorphism modulates stress susceptibility as well as stress-related and stress-inducible neuropsychiatric endophenotypes in both man and mouse. We conclude by proposing a BDNF stress-sensitivity hypothesis, which posits that disruption of endogenous BDNF activity by common factors (such as the BDNF Val66Met variant) potentiates sensitivity to stress and, by extension, vulnerability to stress-inducible illnesses. Thus, BDNF may induce plasticity to deleteriously promote the encoding of fear and trauma but, conversely, also enable adaptive plasticity during extinction learning to suppress PTSD-like fear responses. Ergo regulators of BDNF availability, such as the Val66Met polymorphism, may orchestrate sensitivity to stress, trauma, and risk of stress-induced disorders such as PTSD. Given an increasing interest in personalized psychiatry and clinically complex cases, this model provides a framework from which to experimentally disentangle the causal actions of BDNF in stress responses, which likely interact to potentiate, produce, and impair treatment of, stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Notaras
- Center for Neurogenetics, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. .,College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. .,Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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12
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Bird CW, Barber MJ, Martin J, Mayfield JJ, Valenzuela CF. The mouse-equivalent of the human BDNF VAL66MET polymorphism increases dorsal hippocampal volume and does not interact with developmental ethanol exposure. Alcohol 2020; 86:17-24. [PMID: 32224221 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
A relatively common polymorphism in the human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene (Val66Met, which corresponds to Val68Met in mice) has been shown to modulate cognitive function and vulnerability to mental health disorders. This substitution impairs trafficking and activity-dependent release of BDNF. A number of studies with both humans and transgenic mice suggest that carriers of the Met allele have deficits in the structure and/or function of the hippocampal formation. Using a relatively new transgenic mouse model of this polymorphism, we recently demonstrated that it modulates the effects of developmental ethanol exposure in the hippocampus. Here, we further characterized the effect of this polymorphism on hippocampal morphology and its interaction with ethanol vapor exposure during the 2nd and 3rd trimester equivalents of human pregnancy. We found that BDNFmet/met mice have slightly larger hippocampal volumes than BDNFval/val mice. Ethanol vapor exposure during the 2nd and 3rd trimester equivalents of human pregnancy increased hippocampal volume in a single hippocampal subregion, the CA1 stratum radiatum. Ethanol exposure did not interact with BDNF genotype to affect volume in any hippocampal subregion. These results suggest that the Val66Met polymorphism does not reduce hippocampal size (i.e., it rather increases it slightly) or increase susceptibility to prenatal ethanol exposure-induced structural hippocampal damage during adulthood.
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13
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The BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism Modulates Resilience of Neurological Functioning to Brain Ageing and Dementia: A Narrative Review. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10040195. [PMID: 32218234 PMCID: PMC7226504 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10040195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is an abundant and multi-function neurotrophin in the brain. It is released following neuronal activity and is believed to be particularly important in strengthening neural networks. A common variation in the BDNF gene, a valine to methionine substitution at codon 66 (Val66Met), has been linked to differential expression of BDNF associated with experience-dependent plasticity. The Met allele has been associated with reduced production of BDNF following neuronal stimulation, which suggests a potential role of this variation with respect to how the nervous system may respond to challenges, such as brain ageing and related neurodegenerative conditions (e.g., dementia and Alzheimer’s disease). The current review examines the potential of the BDNF Val66Met variation to modulate an individual’s susceptibility and trajectory through cognitive changes associated with ageing and dementia. On balance, research to date indicates that the BDNF Met allele at this codon is potentially associated with a detrimental influence on the level of cognitive functioning in older adults and may also impart increased risk of progression to dementia. Furthermore, recent studies also show that this genetic variation may modulate an individual’s response to interventions targeted at building cognitive resilience to conditions that cause dementia.
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14
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Okada N, Ando S, Sanada M, Hirata-Mogi S, Iijima Y, Sugiyama H, Shirakawa T, Yamagishi M, Kanehara A, Morita M, Yagi T, Hayashi N, Koshiyama D, Morita K, Sawada K, Ikegame T, Sugimoto N, Toriyama R, Masaoka M, Fujikawa S, Kanata S, Tada M, Kirihara K, Yahata N, Araki T, Jinde S, Kano Y, Koike S, Endo K, Yamasaki S, Nishida A, Hiraiwa-Hasegawa M, Bundo M, Iwamoto K, Tanaka SC, Kasai K. Population-neuroscience study of the Tokyo TEEN Cohort (pn-TTC): Cohort longitudinal study to explore the neurobiological substrates of adolescent psychological and behavioral development. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 73:231-242. [PMID: 30588712 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AIM Adolescence is a crucial stage of psychological development and is critically vulnerable to the onset of psychopathology. Our understanding of how the maturation of endocrine, epigenetics, and brain circuit may underlie psychological development in adolescence, however, has not been integrated. Here, we introduce our research project, the population-neuroscience study of the Tokyo TEEN Cohort (pn-TTC), a longitudinal study to explore the neurobiological substrates of development during adolescence. METHODS Participants in the first wave of the pn-TTC (pn-TTC-1) study were recruited from those of the TTC study, a large-scale epidemiological survey in which 3171 parent-adolescent pairs were recruited from the general population. Participants underwent psychological, cognitive, sociological, and physical assessment. Moreover, adolescents and their parents underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; structural MRI, resting-state functional MRI, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy), and adolescents provided saliva samples for hormone analysis and for DNA analysis including epigenetics. Furthermore, the second wave (pn-TTC-2) followed similar methods as in the first wave. RESULTS A total of 301 parent-adolescent pairs participated in the pn-TTC-1 study. Moreover, 281 adolescents participated in the pn-TTC-2 study, 238 of whom were recruited from the pn-TTC-1 sample. The instruction for data request is available at: http://value.umin.jp/data-resource.html. CONCLUSION The pn-TTC project is a large-scale and population-neuroscience-based survey with a plan of longitudinal biennial follow up. Through this approach we seek to elucidate adolescent developmental mechanisms according to biopsychosocial models. This current biomarker research project, using minimally biased samples recruited from the general population, has the potential to expand the new research field of population neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naohiro Okada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuntaro Ando
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Motoyuki Sanada
- Center for Applied Psychological Science, Kwansei Gakuin University, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Sachiko Hirata-Mogi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yudai Iijima
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Physical and Health Education, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sugiyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Integrated Educational Sciences, Graduate School of Education, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toru Shirakawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mika Yamagishi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akiko Kanehara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaya Morita
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Yagi
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Hayashi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koshiyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Morita
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kingo Sawada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tempei Ikegame
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Molecular Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriko Sugimoto
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rie Toriyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mio Masaoka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Fujikawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Kanata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Tada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenji Kirihara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Noriaki Yahata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Molecular Imaging and Theranostics, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Araki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiichiro Jinde
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kano
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Koike
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,UTokyo Institute for Diversity and Adaptation of Human Mind (UTIDAHM), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaori Endo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Syudo Yamasaki
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nishida
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Hiraiwa-Hasegawa
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, School of Advanced Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Hayama, Japan
| | - Miki Bundo
- Department of Molecular Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kazuya Iwamoto
- Department of Molecular Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Molecular Brain Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Saori C Tanaka
- Department of Computational Neurobiology, ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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15
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Schweiger JI, Bilek E, Schäfer A, Braun U, Moessnang C, Harneit A, Post P, Otto K, Romanczuk-Seiferth N, Erk S, Wackerhagen C, Mattheisen M, Mühleisen TW, Cichon S, Nöthen MM, Frank J, Witt SH, Rietschel M, Heinz A, Walter H, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Tost H. Effects of BDNF Val 66Met genotype and schizophrenia familial risk on a neural functional network for cognitive control in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:590-597. [PMID: 30375508 PMCID: PMC6333795 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0248-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive control represents an essential neuropsychological characteristic that allows for the rapid adaption of a changing environment by constant re-allocation of cognitive resources. This finely tuned mechanism is impaired in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and contributes to cognitive deficits. Neuroimaging has highlighted the contribution of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and prefrontal regions (PFC) on cognitive control and demonstrated the impact of genetic variation, as well as genetic liability for schizophrenia. In this study, we aimed to examine the influence of the functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs6265 of a plasticity-related neurotrophic factor gene, BDNF (Val66Met), on cognitive control. Strong evidence implicates BDNF Val66Met in neural plasticity in humans. Furthermore, several studies suggest that although the variant is not convincingly associated with schizophrenia risk, it seems to be a modifier of the clinical presentation and course of the disease. In order to clarify the underlying mechanisms using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we studied the effects of this SNP on ACC and PFC activation, and the connectivity between these regions in a discovery sample of 85 healthy individuals and sought to replicate this effect in an independent sample of 253 individuals. Additionally, we tested the identified imaging phenotype in relation to schizophrenia familial risk in a sample of 58 unaffected first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients. We found a significant increase in interregional connectivity between ACC and PFC in the risk-associated BDNF 66Met allele carriers. Furthermore, we replicated this effect in an independent sample and demonstrated its independence of structural confounds, as well as task specificity. A similar coupling increase was detectable in individuals with increased familial risk for schizophrenia. Our results show that a key neural circuit for cognitive control is influenced by a plasticity-related genetic variant, which may render this circuit particular susceptible to genetic and environmental risk factors for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. I. Schweiger
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - E. Bilek
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - A. Schäfer
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - U. Braun
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - C. Moessnang
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - A. Harneit
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - P. Post
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - K. Otto
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - N. Romanczuk-Seiferth
- 0000 0001 2218 4662grid.6363.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - S. Erk
- 0000 0001 2218 4662grid.6363.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - C. Wackerhagen
- 0000 0001 2218 4662grid.6363.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - M. Mattheisen
- 0000 0001 1956 2722grid.7048.bDepartment of Biomedicine and Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark ,grid.452548.a0000 0000 9817 5300The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Aarhus and Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - T. W. Mühleisen
- 0000 0001 2297 375Xgrid.8385.6Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany ,0000 0004 1937 0642grid.6612.3Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - S. Cichon
- 0000 0001 2297 375Xgrid.8385.6Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany ,grid.410567.1Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - M. M. Nöthen
- 0000 0001 2240 3300grid.10388.32Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, Bonn, 53127 Germany ,0000 0001 2240 3300grid.10388.32Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, Bonn, 53127 Germany
| | - J. Frank
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - S. H. Witt
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - M. Rietschel
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - A. Heinz
- 0000 0001 2218 4662grid.6363.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - H. Walter
- 0000 0001 2218 4662grid.6363.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - A. Meyer-Lindenberg
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - H. Tost
- 0000 0001 2190 4373grid.7700.0Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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16
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Hill T, Polk JD. BDNF, endurance activity, and mechanisms underlying the evolution of hominin brains. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168 Suppl 67:47-62. [PMID: 30575024 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 10/21/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES As a complex, polygenic trait, brain size has likely been influenced by a range of direct and indirect selection pressures for both cognitive and non-cognitive functions and capabilities. It has been hypothesized that hominin brain expansion was, in part, a correlated response to selection acting on aerobic capacity (Raichlen & Polk, 2013). According to this hypothesis, selection for aerobic capacity increased the activity of various signaling molecules, including those involved in brain growth. One key molecule is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that regulates neuronal development, survival, and plasticity in mammals. This review updates, partially tests, and expands Raichlen and Polk's (2013) hypothesis by evaluating evidence for BDNF as a mediator of brain size. DISCUSSION We contend that selection for endurance capabilities in a hot climate favored changes to muscle composition, mitochondrial dynamics and increased energy budget through pathways involving regulation of PGC-1α and MEF2 genes, both of which promote BDNF activity. In addition, the evolution of hairlessness and the skin's thermoregulatory response provide other molecular pathways that promote both BDNF activity and neurotransmitter synthesis. We discuss how these pathways contributed to the evolution of brain size and function in human evolution and propose avenues for future research. Our results support Raichlen and Polk's contention that selection for non-cognitive functions has direct mechanistic linkages to the evolution of brain size in hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Hill
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - John D Polk
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois.,Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle-Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, Illinois
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17
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Saitoh K, Furihata R, Kaneko Y, Suzuki M, Takahashi S, Uchiyama M. Association of serum BDNF levels and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism with the sleep pattern in healthy young adults. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199765. [PMID: 29944703 PMCID: PMC6019675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is widely expressed in the brain and plays an important role in neuronal maintenance, plasticity, and neurogenesis. Prior studies have found that decreased serum BDNF levels are associated with perceived stress, depression, or sleep disturbances in humans. STUDY OBJECTIVES To elucidate whether the serum BDNF levels and BDNF genotype were associated with the sleep pattern in healthy young adults. METHODS The study group consisted of 79 healthy paid volunteers (45 men, 34 women) aged 20 to 29 years. Serum BDNF levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and a single-nucleotide polymorphism (Val66Met) in the BDNF gene was assessed with a TaqMan assay. Details of the sleep pattern were obtained from 1-week sleep/wake records. RESULTS Serum BDNF levels were significantly associated with sleep parameters on weekends, whereas no such association was found on weekdays. On weekends, longer total sleep time and time in bed, and later mid-sleep time were associated with lower serum BDNF levels. The difference between mid-sleep time on weekdays and that on weekends, otherwise known as social jetlag, was negatively associated with serum BDNF levels. Met/Met homozygotes of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism had significantly longer time in bed on weekends than Val/Val homozygotes. Heterozygotes did not differ from Val/Val homozygotes. CONCLUSIONS We first found that serum BDNF levels and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in healthy young adults were associated with the sleep pattern on weekends but not with that on weekdays, suggesting that the systems involved in BDNF control may be linked to endogenous sleep characteristics rather than the socially constrained sleep schedule in healthy young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Saitoh
- Department of Psychiatry, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryuji Furihata
- Department of Psychiatry, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Kaneko
- Department of Psychiatry, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Suzuki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sakae Takahashi
- Department of Psychiatry, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Uchiyama
- Department of Psychiatry, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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18
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Shen T, You Y, Joseph C, Mirzaei M, Klistorner A, Graham SL, Gupta V. BDNF Polymorphism: A Review of Its Diagnostic and Clinical Relevance in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Aging Dis 2018; 9:523-536. [PMID: 29896439 PMCID: PMC5988606 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2017.0717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has a unique role in the neuronal development, differentiation, and survival in the developing and adult nervous system. A common single-nucleotide polymorphism in the pro-region of the human BDNF gene, resulting in a valine to methionine substitution (Val66Met), has been associated with the susceptibility, incidence, and clinical features of several neurodegenerative disorders. Much research has been dedicated to evaluating the effects of polymorphism in the past decade, and functional effects of this genetic variation. A better understanding of how this naturally occurring polymorphism associates with or influences physiology, anatomy, and cognition in both healthy and diseased adults in neurodegenerative conditions will help understand neurochemical mechanisms and definable clinical outcomes in humans. Here we review the role and relevance of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in neurodegenerative diseases, with particular emphasis on glaucoma, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Several controversies and unresolved issues, including small effect sizes, possible ethnicity, gender, and age effects of the BDNF Val66Met are also discussed with respect to future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Shen
- 1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Yuyi You
- 2Save Sight Institute, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Chitra Joseph
- 1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Mehdi Mirzaei
- 3Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Alexander Klistorner
- 1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia.,2Save Sight Institute, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Stuart L Graham
- 1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia.,2Save Sight Institute, Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Vivek Gupta
- 1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia
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19
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Variability and Reliability of Paired-Pulse Depression and Cortical Oscillation Induced by Median Nerve Stimulation. Brain Topogr 2018; 31:780-794. [PMID: 29737438 PMCID: PMC6097743 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-018-0648-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Paired-pulse depression (PPD) has been widely used to investigate the functional profiles of somatosensory cortical inhibition. However, PPD induced by somatosensory stimulation is variable, and the reasons for between- and within-subject PPD variability remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the factors influencing PPD variability induced by somatosensory stimulation. The study participants were 19 healthy volunteers. First, we investigated the relationship between the PPD ratio of each component (N20m, P35m, and P60m) of the somatosensory magnetic field, and the alpha, beta, and gamma band changes in power [event-related desynchronization (ERD) and event-related synchronization (ERS)] induced by median nerve stimulation. Second, because brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphisms reportedly influence the PPD ratio, we assessed whether BDNF genotype influences PPD ratio variability. Finally, we evaluated the test-retest reliability of PPD and the alpha, beta, and gamma ERD/ERS induced by somatosensory stimulation. Significant positive correlations were observed between the P60m_PPD ratio and beta power change, and the P60m_PPD ratio was significantly smaller for the beta ERD group than for the beta ERS group. P35m_PPD was found to be robust and highly reproducible; however, P60m_PPD reproducibility was poor. In addition, the ICC values for alpha, beta, and gamma ERD/ERS were 0.680, 0.760, and 0.552 respectively. These results suggest that the variability of PPD for the P60m deflection may be influenced by the ERD/ERS magnitude, which is induced by median nerve stimulation.
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de Araujo CM, Zugman A, Swardfager W, Belangero SIN, Ota VK, Spindola LM, Hakonarson H, Pellegrino R, Gadelha A, Salum GA, Pan PM, de Moura LM, Del Aquilla M, Picon FA, Amaro E, Sato JR, Brietzke E, Grassi-Oliveira R, Rohde LAP, Miguel EC, Bressan RA, Jackowski AP. Effects of the brain-derived neurotropic factor variant Val66Met on cortical structure in late childhood and early adolescence. J Psychiatr Res 2018; 98:51-58. [PMID: 29288952 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) has been associated with several neuropsychiatric disorders and regional structural brain changes in adults, but little is known about Val66Met's effect on brain morphology during typical or atypical neurodevelopment. Windows of vulnerability to psychopathology may be associated with the different alleles of the Val66Met polymorphism during childhood and adolescence. METHODOLOGY We investigated the effect of Val66Met on cortical thickness in MRI scans of 718 children and adolescents (6-12 years old) with typical development, and in those meeting DSM criteria for a psychiatric disorder. RESULTS Val66Met had a significant effect on cortical thickness. Considering the typically developing group, Met-carriers presented thicker parietal and occipital lobes and prefrontal cortices compared to Val homozygotes. Met-carriers with psychiatric disorders presented thicker medial and lateral temporal cortices than Val homozygotes. Furthermore, a significant genotype × psychiatric diagnosis interaction was found: Met-carriers with a psychiatric diagnosis presented thinner bilateral prefrontal cortices than Val homozygotes. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that Val66Met is associated with cortical maturation in children and adolescents with and without psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Maria de Araujo
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Andre Zugman
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Walter Swardfager
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sintia Iole Nogueira Belangero
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Kiyomi Ota
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leticia Maria Spindola
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Morphology and Genetics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Hakon Hakonarson
- Center for Applied Genomics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Renata Pellegrino
- Center for Applied Genomics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ary Gadelha
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Abrahão Salum
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Pedro Mario Pan
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Marco Del Aquilla
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Almeida Picon
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Edson Amaro
- Institute of Radiology (INRAD), Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João Ricardo Sato
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Mathematics & Statistics Institute, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, Brazil
| | - Elisa Brietzke
- Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luis Augusto P Rohde
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Euripedes Constantino Miguel
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department & Institute of Psychiatry (IPq), Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo A Bressan
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrea Parolin Jackowski
- National Institute of Developmental Psychiatry for Children and Adolescents (INCT-CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil
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Meng J, Hao L, Wei D, Sun J, Li Y, Qiu J. BDNF Val66Met polymorphism modulates the effect of loneliness on white matter microstructure in young adults. Biol Psychol 2017; 130:41-49. [PMID: 28988974 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Loneliness is a common experience. Susceptibility to loneliness is a stable trait and is heritable. Previous studies have suggested that loneliness may impact regional gray matter density and brain activation to social stimuli, but its relation to white matter structure and how it may interact with genetic factors remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether and how a common polymorphism (Val66Met) in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene modulated the association between loneliness and white matter microstructure in 162 young adults. The tract-based spatial statistics analyses revealed that the relationships between loneliness and white matter microstructures were significantly different between Val/Met heterozygotes and Val/Val homozygotes. Specifically, loneliness was significantly correlated with reduced fractional anisotropy and increased radial diffusivity in widespread white matter fibers within Val/Met heterozygotes. It was also significantly correlated with increased radial diffusivity in Met/Met genotypes but showed no significant association with white matter measures in Val/Val genotypes. Furthermore, the associations between loneliness and fractional anisotropy (or radial diffusivity) in Val/Met heterozygotes turned out to be global effects. These results provide evidence that loneliness may interact with the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism to shape the microstructures of white matter, and the Val/Met heterozygotes may be more susceptible to social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Meng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Lei Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Department of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Dongtao Wei
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiangzhou Sun
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yu Li
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Department of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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22
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Notaras MJ, Hill RA, Gogos JA, van den Buuse M. BDNF Val66Met Genotype Interacts With a History of Simulated Stress Exposure to Regulate Sensorimotor Gating and Startle Reactivity. Schizophr Bull 2017; 43:665-672. [PMID: 27262112 PMCID: PMC5464110 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbw077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Reduced expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, which results in deficient activity-dependent secretion of BDNF, is associated with clinical features of schizophrenia. We investigated the effect of this polymorphism on Prepulse Inhibition (PPI), a translational model of sensorimotor gating which is disrupted in schizophrenia. We utilized humanized BDNFVal66Met (hBDNFVal66Met) mice which have been modified to carry the Val66Met polymorphism, as well as express humanized BDNF in vivo. We also studied the long-term effect of chronic corticosterone (CORT) exposure in these animals as a model of history of stress. PPI was assessed at 30ms and 100ms interstimulus intervals (ISI). Analysis of PPI at the commonly used 100ms ISI identified that, irrespective of CORT treatment, the hBDNFVal/Met genotype was associated with significantly reduced PPI. In contrast, PPI was not different between hBDNFMet/Met and hBDNFVal/Val genotype mice. At the 30ms ISI, CORT treatment selectively disrupted sensorimotor gating of hBDNFVal/Met heterozygote mice but not hBDNFVal/Val or hBDNFMet/Met mice. Analysis of startle reactivity revealed that chronic CORT reduced startle reactivity of hBDNFVal/Val male mice by 51%. However, this was independent of the effect of CORT on PPI. In summary, we provide evidence of a distinct BDNFVal66Met heterozygote-specific phenotype using the sensorimotor gating endophenotype of schizophrenia. These data have important implications for clinical studies where, if possible, the BDNFVal/Met heterozygote genotype should be distinguished from the BDNFMet/Met genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Notaras
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia;,Psychoneuroendocrinology Laboratory, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rachel A. Hill
- Psychoneuroendocrinology Laboratory, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joseph A. Gogos
- Departments of Biophysics and Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia;,School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia;,The College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
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23
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Xia Z, Hancock R, Hoeft F. Neurobiological bases of reading disorder Part I: Etiological investigations. LANGUAGE AND LINGUISTICS COMPASS 2017; 11:e12239. [PMID: 28785303 PMCID: PMC5543813 DOI: 10.1111/lnc3.12239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
While many studies have focused on identifying the neural and behavioral characteristics of decoding-based reading disorder (RD, aka developmental dyslexia), the etiology of RD remains largely unknown and understudied. Because the brain plays an intermediate role between genetic factors and behavioral outcomes, it is promising to address causality from a neural perspective. In the current, Part I of the two-part review, we discuss neuroimaging approaches to addressing the causality issue and review the results of studies that have employed these approaches. We assume that if a neural signature were associated with RD etiology, it would (a) manifest across comparisons in different languages, (b) be experience independent and appear in comparisons between RD and reading-matched controls, (c) be present both pre- and post-intervention, (d) be found in at-risk, pre-reading children and (e) be associated with genetic risk. We discuss each of these five characteristics in turn and summarize the studies that have examined each of them. The available literature provides evidence that anomalies in left temporo-parietal cortex, and possibly occipito-temporal cortex, may be closely related to the etiology of RD. Improved understanding of the etiology of RD can help improve the accuracy of early detection and enable targeted intervention of cognitive processes that are amenable to change, leading to improved outcomes in at-risk or affected populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Xia
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, China
| | - Roeland Hancock
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, USA
| | - Fumiko Hoeft
- Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, USA
- Haskins Laboratories, USA
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Japan
- Dyslexia Center, University of California San Francisco, USA
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24
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Jasińska KK, Molfese PJ, Kornilov SA, Mencl WE, Frost SJ, Lee M, Pugh KR, Grigorenko EL, Landi N. The BDNF Val 66Met polymorphism is associated with structural neuroanatomical differences in young children. Behav Brain Res 2017; 328:48-56. [PMID: 28359883 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been associated with individual differences in brain structure and function, and cognition. Research on BDNF's influence on brain and cognition has largely been limited to adults, and little is known about the association of this gene, and specifically the Val66Met polymorphism, with developing brain structure and emerging cognitive functions in children. We performed a targeted genetic association analysis on cortical thickness, surface area, and subcortical volume in 78 children (ages 6-10) who were Val homozygotes (homozygous Val/Val carriers) or Met carriers (Val/Met, Met/Met) for the Val66Met locus using Atlas-based brain segmentation. We observed greater cortical thickness for Val homozygotes in regions supporting declarative memory systems (anterior temporal pole/entorhinal cortex), consistent with adult findings. Met carriers had greater surface area in the prefrontal and parietal cortices and greater cortical thickness in lateral occipital/parietal cortex in contrast to prior adult findings that may relate to performance on cognitive tasks supported by these regions in Met carriers. Finally, we found larger right hippocampal volume in Met carriers, although inconsistent with adult findings (generally reports larger volumes for Val homozygotes), is consistent with a recent finding in children. Gene expression levels vary across different brain regions and across development and our findings highlight the need to consider this developmental change in explorations of BDNF-brain relationships. The impact of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on the structure of the developing brain therefore reflects regionally-specific developmental changes in BDNF expression and cortical maturation trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaja K Jasińska
- University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA; Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Peter J Molfese
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Sergey A Kornilov
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation; Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - W Einar Mencl
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Kenneth R Pugh
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Elena L Grigorenko
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation; Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation; Moscow State University for Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Nicole Landi
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, USA; University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA; Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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25
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BDNF Variants May Modulate Long-Term Visual Memory Performance in a Healthy Cohort. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18030655. [PMID: 28304362 PMCID: PMC5372667 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18030655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in numerous cognitive functions including learning and memory. BDNF plays an important role in synaptic plasticity in humans and rats with BDNF shown to be essential for the formation of long-term memories. We previously identified a significant association between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) and long-term visual memory (p-value = 0.003) in a small cohort (n = 181) comprised of healthy individuals who had been phenotyped for various aspects of memory function. In this study, we have extended the cohort to 597 individuals and examined multiple genetic variants across both the BDNF and BDNF-AS genes for association with visual memory performance as assessed by the Wechsler Memory Scale—Fourth Edition subtests Visual Reproduction I and II (VR I and II). VR I assesses immediate visual memory, whereas VR II assesses long-term visual memory. Genetic association analyses were performed for 34 single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped on Illumina OmniExpress BeadChip arrays with the immediate and long-term visual memory phenotypes. While none of the BDNF and BDNF-AS variants were shown to be significant for immediate visual memory, we found 10 variants (including the Val66Met polymorphism (p-value = 0.006)) that were nominally associated, and three variants (two variants in BDNF and one variant in the BDNF-AS locus) that were significantly associated with long-term visual memory. Our data therefore suggests a potential role for BDNF, and its anti-sense transcript BDNF-AS, in long-term visual memory performance.
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