Kaitlin E Bountress1, Silviu-Alin Bacanu1, Rachel L Tomko2, Kristina J Korte3, Terrell Hicks4, Christina Sheerin1, Mackenzie J Lind1, Marisa Marraccini5, Nicole Nugent6, Ananda B Amstadter1. 1. Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA. 2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Addiction Sciences Division, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 4. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA. 5. School of Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 6. Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Given evidence that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is moderately heritable, a number of studies utilizing candidate gene approaches have attempted to examine the potential contributions of theoretically relevant genetic variation. Some of these studies have found sup port for a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) variant, Val66Met, in the risk of developing PTSD, while others have failed to find this link. METHODS: This study sought to reconcile these conflicting findings using a meta-analysis framework. Analyses were also used to determine whether there is significant heterogeneity in the link between this variant and PTSD. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on BDNF and PTSD from the PsycINFO and PubMed databases. A total of 11 studies were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Findings indicate a marginally significant effect of the BDNF Val66Met variant on PTSD (p < 0.1). However, of the 11 studies included, only 2 suggested an effect with a non-zero confidence interval, one of which showed a z score of 3.31. We did not find any evidence for heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this meta-analytic investigation of the published literature provide little support for the Val66Met variant of BDNF as a predictor of PTSD. Future well-powered agnostic genome-wide association studies with more refined phenotyping are needed to clarify genetic influences on PTSD.
OBJECTIVE: Given evidence that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is moderately heritable, a number of studies utilizing candidate gene approaches have attempted to examine the potential contributions of theoretically relevant genetic variation. Some of these studies have found sup port for a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) variant, Val66Met, in the risk of developing PTSD, while others have failed to find this link. METHODS: This study sought to reconcile these conflicting findings using a meta-analysis framework. Analyses were also used to determine whether there is significant heterogeneity in the link between this variant and PTSD. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on BDNF and PTSD from the PsycINFO and PubMed databases. A total of 11 studies were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Findings indicate a marginally significant effect of the BDNFVal66Met variant on PTSD (p < 0.1). However, of the 11 studies included, only 2 suggested an effect with a non-zero confidence interval, one of which showed a z score of 3.31. We did not find any evidence for heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this meta-analytic investigation of the published literature provide little support for the Val66Met variant of BDNF as a predictor of PTSD. Future well-powered agnostic genome-wide association studies with more refined phenotyping are needed to clarify genetic influences on PTSD.
Authors: Caroline M Nievergelt; Adam X Maihofer; Maja Mustapic; Kate A Yurgil; Nicholas J Schork; Mark W Miller; Mark W Logue; Mark A Geyer; Victoria B Risbrough; Daniel T O'Connor; Dewleen G Baker Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2014-10-30 Impact factor: 4.693
Authors: Brienna M Fogle; Jack Tsai; Natalie Mota; Ilan Harpaz-Rotem; John H Krystal; Steven M Southwick; Robert H Pietrzak Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2020-12-09 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Christina M Sheerin; Mackenzie J Lind; Kaitlin E Bountress; Marisa E Marraccini; Ananda B Amstadter; Silviu-Alin Bacanu; Nicole R Nugent Journal: J Trauma Stress Date: 2020-03-26