While the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism has been linked to various trauma and anxiety - related psychiatric disorders, limited focus has been on the neural structures that might modulate its relationship with objective measures of threat sensitivity. Therefore, we assessed whether there was an interaction of Val66Met polymorphism with brain area volumes previously associated with anxiety and PTSD, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), insular cortex (IC), and dorsal and ventral anterior cingulate cortices (dACC and vACC), in predicting fear-potentiated psychophysiological response in a clinical sample of Veterans. 110 participants engaged in a fear-potentiated acoustic startle paradigm and provided genetic and imaging data. Fear conditions included no, ambiguous, and high threat conditions (shock). Psychophysiological response measures included electromyogram (EMG), skin conductance response (SCR), and heart rate (HR). PTSD status, trauma history, and demographics were also assessed. There was an interaction of Met allele carrier status with vmPFC, IC, dACC, and vACC volumes for predicting SCR (p < 0.001 for all regions). However, only vmPFC and IC significantly moderated the relationship between Val66Met and psychophysiological response (SCR). The Val66met polymorphism may increase susceptibility to PTSD and anxiety disorders via an interaction with reduced vmPFC and IC volume. Future research should examine whether these relationships might be associated with a differential course of illness longitudinally or response to treatments.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.08.012 | DOI Listing |
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
December 2024
Chair and Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Introduction: While numerous studies have established associations between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cognitive functioning, limited research has delved into the role of BDNF concerning cognitive outcomes in atherosclerosis-related conditions. This study aimed to investigate the correlations between cognitive performance, serum BDNF levels, and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism in individuals diagnosed with chronic limb ischemia (CLI).
Participants And Procedure: The study encompassed 159 CLI patients (52 females, 107 males) aged 59-73 years.
NPJ Sci Learn
November 2024
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Procedural learning and automatization have widely been studied in behavioral psychology and typically involves a rapid improvement, followed by a plateau in performance throughout repeated training. More recently, brain imaging studies have implicated frontal-striatal brain circuits in skill learning. However, it is largely unknown whether frontal-striatal activation during skill learning and behavioral changes follow a similar learning curve pattern.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenes (Basel)
October 2024
Programa de Neurociencia, Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, NEPSAM (http://nepsam.udec.cl), Universidad de Concepción, Barrio Universitario s/n, Casilla 160-C, Concepción 4070386, Chile.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. This longitudinal study aimed to explore the connection between two specific genetic polymorphisms, Val66Met and 5-HTTLPR, and the lifetime prevalence of PTSD in patients from primary care settings. We also examined the role of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors to provide a more comprehensive view of PTSD risk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPsychol Health Med
November 2024
Philippine Women's University, Manila, Philippines.
Front Cell Neurosci
November 2024
Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, United States.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with strong genetic heterogeneity and more prevalent in males than females. We and others hypothesize that diminished activity-dependent neural signaling is a common molecular pathway dysregulated in ASD caused by diverse genetic mutations. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key growth factor mediating activity-dependent neural signaling in the brain.
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