title: The brain-derived neurotrophic factor val66met polymorphism and variation in human cortical morphology.
abstract: A variation in the BDNF gene (val66met) affects the function of BDNF in neurons, predicts variation in human memory, and is associated with several neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we show that, in magnetic resonance imaging scans of a large sample of normal individuals, this polymorphism affects the anatomy of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, identifying a genetic mechanism of variation in brain morphology related to learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: Genes, Cognition, and Psychosis Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1379, USA.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pezawas
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Verchinski
authors.forename: Venkata S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Mattay
authors.forename: Joseph H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Callicott
authors.forename: Bhaskar S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kolachana
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer-Lindenberg
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Weinberger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009929:Organ Size; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor