title: Evidence of association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene and bipolar disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in the survival, differentiation, and outgrowth of select peripheral and central neurons throughout adulthood. Growing evidence suggests that BDNF is involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the BDNF gene were genotyped in a sample of 1749 Caucasian Americans from 250 multiplex bipolar families. Family-based association analysis was used with three hierarchical bipolar disorder models to test for an association between SNPs in BDNF and the risk of bipolar disorder. In addition, an exploratory analysis was performed to test for an association of the SNPs in BDNF and the phenotypes of rapid cycling and episode frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evidence of association (P<0.05) was found with several of the SNPs using multiple models of bipolar disorder; one of these SNPs also showed evidence of association (P<0.05) with rapid cycling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide further evidence that variation in BDNF affects the risk for bipolar disorder.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202-3002, USA.
authors.forename: Lixiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Foroud
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xuei
authors.forename: Wade
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Berrettini
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Byerley
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coryell
authors.forename: Rif
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: El-Mallakh
authors.forename: Elliot S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Gershon
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kelsoe
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Dean F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: MacKinnon
authors.forename: Melvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McInnis
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Dennis L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Scheftner
authors.forename: Peter P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Zandi
authors.forename: Falk W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Lohoff
authors.forename: Alexander B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Niculescu
authors.forename: Eric T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Howard J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Edenberg
authors.forename: John I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Nurnberger
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor