BACKGROUND: Previous genetic studies investigating a possible involvement of variations at the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene locus in major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar affective disorder (BPAD), and schizophrenia have provided inconsistent results. METHODS: We performed single-marker and haplotype analyses using three BDNF polymorphisms in 2,376 individuals (465 MDD, 281 BPAD, 533 schizophrenia, and 1,097 control subjects). RESULTS: Single-marker analysis did not provide strong evidence for association. Haplotype analysis of marker combination rs988748-(GT)n-rs6265 produced nominally significant associations for all investigated phenotypes (global p values: MDD p = .00006, BPAD p = .0057, schizophrenia p = .016). Association with MDD was the most robust finding and could be replicated in a second German sample of MDD patients and control subjects (p = .0092, uncorrected). Stratification of our schizophrenia sample according to the presence or absence of a lifetime history of depressive symptoms showed that our finding in schizophrenia might be attributable mainly to the presence of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Association studies of genetic variants of the BDNF gene with various psychiatric disorders have been published with reports of associations and nonreplications. Our findings suggest that BDNF may be a susceptibility gene for MDD and schizophrenia-in particular, in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia with a lifetime history of depressive symptoms.
BACKGROUND: Previous genetic studies investigating a possible involvement of variations at the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene locus in major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar affective disorder (BPAD), and schizophrenia have provided inconsistent results. METHODS: We performed single-marker and haplotype analyses using three BDNF polymorphisms in 2,376 individuals (465 MDD, 281 BPAD, 533 schizophrenia, and 1,097 control subjects). RESULTS: Single-marker analysis did not provide strong evidence for association. Haplotype analysis of marker combination rs988748-(GT)n-rs6265 produced nominally significant associations for all investigated phenotypes (global p values: MDD p = .00006, BPAD p = .0057, schizophrenia p = .016). Association with MDD was the most robust finding and could be replicated in a second German sample of MDDpatients and control subjects (p = .0092, uncorrected). Stratification of our schizophrenia sample according to the presence or absence of a lifetime history of depressive symptoms showed that our finding in schizophrenia might be attributable mainly to the presence of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Association studies of genetic variants of the BDNF gene with various psychiatric disorders have been published with reports of associations and nonreplications. Our findings suggest that BDNF may be a susceptibility gene for MDD and schizophrenia-in particular, in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia with a lifetime history of depressive symptoms.
Authors: Antonio Terracciano; Maria Grazia Piras; Monia Lobina; Antonella Mulas; Osorio Meirelles; Angelina R Sutin; Wayne Chan; Serena Sanna; Manuela Uda; Laura Crisponi; David Schlessinger Journal: World J Biol Psychiatry Date: 2011-11-02 Impact factor: 4.132
Authors: A Terracciano; B Martin; D Ansari; T Tanaka; L Ferrucci; S Maudsley; M P Mattson; P T Costa Journal: Genes Brain Behav Date: 2010-03-22 Impact factor: 3.449
Authors: Frederike Schirmbeck; Alexander Georgi; Jana Strohmaier; Christine Schmael; Katja V Boesshenz; Thomas W Mühleisen; Stefan Herms; Per Hoffmann; Rami Abou Jamra; Johannes Schumacher; Wolfgang Maier; Peter Propping; Markus M Nöthen; Sven Cichon; Marcella Rietschel; Thomas G Schulze Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2008-05-13