title: BDNF Val66Met polymorphism alters sympathovagal balance in healthy subjects.
abstract: A common polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene (Val66Met) has been implicated in anxiety, which is associated with lower vagal activity. We hypothesize that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism may have a modulatory effect on the cardiac sympathovagal balance. A total of 211 healthy Chinese-Han adults (58 male, 153 female, aged 33.3 +/- 10.3 years) were recruited with three BDNF genotypes: Val/Val (47, 22.3%), Val/Met (108, 51.2%), and Met/Met (56, 26.5%). Autonomic function was assessed via an analysis of heart rate variability. Reductions in high-frequency power, an index for parasympathetic activity, and increases in the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio, an index for sympathovagal balance, were found in subjects bearing the Met/Met genotype as compared to the Val/Val group. These results suggest that an altered sympathovagal balance with relatively decreased parasympathetic activity is associated with the Met/Met genotype, suggesting a potential role for the studied BDNF polymorphism in modulating cardiac autonomic functions.
authors.affiliation: Chu-Tung Veterans Hospital, Hsin-Chu County, Taiwan. ccyang@physionet.org
authors.forename: Albert C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tai-Jui
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shih-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chen-Jee
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Chung-Hsun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Cheng-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ko-Pei
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution / Q000235:genetics*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006262:Health; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008715:Methionine; D014633:Valine