Effect of Val66Met polymorphism in BDNF on attentional bias in an extroverted Chinese Han population.

Studies have indicated that a functional polymorphism (Val66Met) in a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene can influences human cognitive functions and mood disorders. In this study, we examined associations of BDNF Val66Met with attentional bias and personality in an unaffected population. The results showed that BDNF Val66Met was significantly associated with attentional disengagement for positive cueing words in extraverts.

The effects of DBH, MAOA, and MAOB on attentional biases for facial expressions.

Attentional bias is the interaction that occurs between emotion and attention. Monoamine oxidase and dopamine β-hydroxylase are involved in the balances of neurotransmitters in the cortex. Much evidence has shown that those enzymes play important roles in human emotion and attention.