A study of the association of (Val66Met) polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene with alcohol dependence and extreme violence in Chinese males.
From studies of genetic-knockout animals, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin growth-factor family, has been implicated in both alcohol preference and aggressive behaviour. To test whether a BDNF genetic variant may be associated with alcohol-dependent and violent behaviours, we studied Val66Met polymorphism of the BDNF-gene in 110 cases of alcohol-dependence, in 134 extremely violent convicts, and in 149 individuals without psychosis or mood disorders. We also examined the association of this polymorphism with antisocial personality disorder comorbidity in the extremely violent convicts. The results showed that the genotype and allele frequencies for Val66Met polymorphism at the BDNF-gene site did not differ among the three groups. Furthermore, it was not demonstrated that this polymorphism is associated with antisocial personality disorder comorbidity in the extremely violent convicts. Based on these findings, it seems reasonable to suggest that this BDNF-gene Val66Met polymorphism is unlikely to play a major role in the genetic susceptibility to the traits of alcohol-dependence or violence proneness.
Tsai
Shih-Jen
SJ
Department of Psychiatry, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, No. 201 Shih-Pai Road, Sec. 2, 11217 Taipei, Taiwan. sjtsai@vghtpe.gov.tw
Liao
Ding-Lieh
DL
Yu
Younger W-Y
YW
Chen
Tai-Jui
TJ
Wu
Hung-Chi
HC
Lin
Chun-Hui
CH
Cheng
Chih-Ya
CY
Hong
Chen-Jee
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014754:Violence
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor