Association of polymorphism (Val66Met) of brain-derived neurotrophic factor with suicide attempts in depressed patients.
BACKGROUND
Recent post-mortem studies of suicide victims have implicated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicide. Therefore, it was decided to examine the possible role of a gene in the regulation of BDNF activity in relation to suicidal behaviour among depressed patients.


METHODS
A series of 170 depressed patients were evaluated for their history of suicide attempts and genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (SNP ID: rs6265). Depressed patients who had (n = 97) or had not (n = 73) attempted suicide were compared.


RESULTS
Depressed patients who carried the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism variant (GA + AA) appeared to show a significantly increased risk of suicidal behaviour. The risk of a suicide attempt was also significantly higher among those reporting higher levels of childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Secondary analyses suggested that depression severity was a significant risk factor only in the wild-type BDNF genotype, and that the risk of suicide attempts was more predictable within the wild-type group.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest that BDNF may play a role in the suicidal behaviour of depressed patients.
Sarchiapone
Marco
M
Department of Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy. marco.sarchiapone@gmail.com
Carli
Vladimir
V
Roy
Alec
A
Iacoviello
Licia
L
Cuomo
Chiara
C
Latella
Maria Carmela
MC
di Giannantonio
Massimo
M
Janiri
Luigi
L
de Gaetano
Monica
M
Janal
Malvin N
MN
D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor