title: Family-based study of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphism in alcohol dependence.
abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) belongs to a family of proteins related to the nerve growth factor family, which are responsible for the proliferation, survival and differentiation of neurons. BDNF is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addiction. We hypothesize that a functionally relevant polymorphism of the BDNF gene promoter may be associated with the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence. We performed an association study of 141 families with alcohol dependence. One hundred and thirty-eight healthy control subjects were matched based on ethnicity and gender. An association between the BDNF Val66Met gene polymorphism and alcoholism was not found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Broniewskiego 26, PL71-460 Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grzywacz
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samochowiec
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciechanowicz
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Samochowiec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor