title: BDNF val66met polymorphism is associated with modified experience-dependent plasticity in human motor cortex.
abstract: Motor training can induce profound physiological plasticity within primary motor cortex, including changes in corticospinal output and motor map topography. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation, we show that training-dependent increases in the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials and motor map reorganization are reduced in healthy subjects with a val66met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF), as compared to subjects without the polymorphism. The results suggest that BDNF is involved in mediating experience-dependent plasticity of human motor cortex.
authors: Brain Research Rehabilitation Center, Malcom Randall VA Hospital, 1601 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, Florida 32608, USA. jkleim@ufl.edu
authors: Jeffrey A
authors: JA
authors: Kleim
authors: Sheila
authors: S
authors: Chan
authors: Erin
authors: E
authors: Pringle
authors: Kellan
authors: K
authors: Schallert
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Procaccio
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Jimenez
authors: Steven C
authors: SC
authors: Cramer