Association of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism with reduced hippocampal volumes in major depression.
BACKGROUND
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) modulates hippocampal plasticity, which is believed to be altered in patients with major depression.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on hippocampal and amygdala volumes in patients with major depression and in healthy control subjects.


METHODS
Cross-sectional comparison between patients and controls.


METHODS
Inpatients with major depression from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and healthy controls from the community were recruited.


METHODS
The study population of 120 subjects included 60 patients with major depression and 60 healthy controls.


METHODS
Using a combined strategy, hippocampal and amygdala volumes were estimated on high-resolution magnetic resonance images, and genotyping was performed for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism.


RESULTS
Patients had significantly smaller hippocampal volumes compared with controls (P = .02). Significantly smaller hippocampal volumes were observed for patients and for controls carrying the Met-BDNF allele compared with subjects homozygous for the Val-BDNF allele (P = .006). With respect to amygdala volumes, no significant differences between patients and controls and no significant main effects for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
These genotype-related alterations suggest that Met-BDNF allele carriers might be at risk to develop smaller hippocampal volumes and may be susceptible to major depression. This study supports findings from animal studies that the hippocampus is involved in brain development and plasticity.
Frodl
Thomas
T
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and Radiology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. Thomas.Frodl@med.uni-muenchen.de
Schüle
Cornelius
C
Schmitt
Gisela
G
Born
Christine
C
Baghai
Thomas
T
Zill
Peter
P
Bottlender
Ronald
R
Rupprecht
Rainer
R
Bondy
Brigitta
B
Reiser
Maximilian
M
Möller
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Meisenzahl
Eva M
EM
D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology; D001284:Atrophy; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008715:Methionine; D014633:Valine