Impact of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism on levels of hippocampal N-acetyl-aspartate assessed by magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging at 3 Tesla.

Background: This study was conducted to corroborate prior evidence of an effect of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) valine (val) to methionine (met) amino acid substitution at codon 66 (val66met) polymorphism on measures of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) containing compounds in healthy subjects.

Methods: The NAA to creatine (Cre) ratio (NAA/Cre), NAA to choline (Cho) ratio (NAA/Cho), and Cho to Cre ratio (Cho/Cre) were measured in the left and right hippocampi, left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, occipital lobe, anterior cingulate, and white matter of the centrum semiovale of 69 carefully screened healthy volunteers utilizing proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at 3 Tesla (T).

Results: Val/met subjects exhibited significantly reduced levels of left hippocampal NAA/Cre and NAA/Cho compared with val/val subjects.