Anthony O Ahmed1, Samantha Kramer2, Naama Hofman3, John Flynn4, Marie Hansen4, Victoria Martin5, Anilkumar Pillai6, Peter F Buckley7. 1. Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, White Plains, New York, USA, aoa9001@med.cornell.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Long Island University Post, New York, New York, USA. 3. Department of Psychology, St. John's University, New York, New York, USA. 4. Department of Psychology, Long Island University Brooklyn, New York, New York, USA. 5. Department of Psychology, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA. 6. Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA. 7. Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Abstract
AIM: The Val66Met single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the BDNF gene has established pleiotropic effects on schizophrenia incidence and morphologic alterations in the illness. The effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on brain volume measurements are however mixed seeming to be less established for most brain regions. The current meta-analytic review examined (1) the association of the Val66Met SNP and brain volume alterations in schizophrenia by comparing Met allele carriers to Val/Val homozygotes and (2) the association of serum BDNF with brain volume measurements. METHOD: Studies included in the meta-analyses were identified through an electronic search of PubMed and PsycInfo (via EBSCO) for English language publications from January 2000 through December 2017. Included studies had conducted a genotyping procedure of Val66Met or obtained assays of serum BDNF and obtained brain volume data in patients with psychotic disorders. Nonhuman studies were excluded. RESULTS: Study 1 which included 52 comparisons of Met carriers and Val/Val homozygotes found evidence of lower right and left hippocampal volumes among Met allele carriers with schizophrenia. Frontal measurements, while also lower among Met carriers, did not achieve statistical significance. Study 2 which included 7 examinations of the correlation between serum BDNF and brain volume found significant associations between serum BDNF levels and right and left hippocampal volume with lower BDNF corresponding to lower volumes. DISCUSSION: The meta-analyses provided evidence of associations between brain volume alterations in schizophrenia and variations on the Val66Met SNP and serum BDNF. Given the limited number of studies, it remains unclear if BDNF effects are global or regionally specific.
AIM: The Val66Met single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on the BDNF gene has established pleiotropic effects on schizophrenia incidence and morphologic alterations in the illness. The effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on brain volume measurements are however mixed seeming to be less established for most brain regions. The current meta-analytic review examined (1) the association of the Val66Met SNP and brain volume alterations in schizophrenia by comparing Met allele carriers to Val/Val homozygotes and (2) the association of serum BDNF with brain volume measurements. METHOD: Studies included in the meta-analyses were identified through an electronic search of PubMed and PsycInfo (via EBSCO) for English language publications from January 2000 through December 2017. Included studies had conducted a genotyping procedure of Val66Met or obtained assays of serum BDNF and obtained brain volume data in patients with psychotic disorders. Nonhuman studies were excluded. RESULTS: Study 1 which included 52 comparisons of Met carriers and Val/Val homozygotes found evidence of lower right and left hippocampal volumes among Met allele carriers with schizophrenia. Frontal measurements, while also lower among Met carriers, did not achieve statistical significance. Study 2 which included 7 examinations of the correlation between serum BDNF and brain volume found significant associations between serum BDNF levels and right and left hippocampal volume with lower BDNF corresponding to lower volumes. DISCUSSION: The meta-analyses provided evidence of associations between brain volume alterations in schizophrenia and variations on the Val66Met SNP and serum BDNF. Given the limited number of studies, it remains unclear if BDNF effects are global or regionally specific.
Authors: Marc L Molendijk; Boudewijn A A Bus; Philip Spinhoven; Anna Kaimatzoglou; Richard C Oude Voshaar; Brenda W J H Penninx; Marinus H van IJzendoorn; Bernet M Elzinga Journal: Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet Date: 2012-07-19 Impact factor: 3.568
Authors: Geoffrey N Smith; Allen E Thornton; Donna J Lang; G William Macewan; Thomas S Ehmann; Lili C Kopala; Karen Tee; Gillian Shiau; Aristotle N Voineskos; James L Kennedy; William G Honer Journal: Schizophr Res Date: 2011-12-21 Impact factor: 4.939