Gender-specific association of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic component. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which participates in the differentiation and survival of dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons, could play a role in ADHD development. We aimed to explore the relationships between ADHD and BDNF gene polymorphism.


METHODS
We conducted a case-control analysis of 202 ADHD subjects and 159 controls, performed a transmission disequilibrium test on 151 trios, and compared the results of a continuous performance test (CPT) according to the genotype of the three single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs11030101, rs6265, rs16917204) in the BDNF gene.


RESULTS
In the case-control analysis, the AA genotype of the BDNF rs11030101 polymorphism was significantly associated with ADHD only in girls (p=0.024, odds ratio=3.00). The T-G-G haplotype was significantly less frequent (p=0.005) and A-G-G was more frequent (p=0.048) in girls with ADHD than in control girls (global p=0.027). A multivariate analysis of variance for commission errors on the CPT showed a significant main effect for the rs11030101 genotype (p=0.026) and an interaction effect of the rs11030101 genotype and gender (p=0.032) in ADHD probands.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide preliminary evidence for a gender-specific association between BDNF and ADHD in the Korean population.
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Soo-Churl
SC
Cho
Hyo-Won
HW
Kim
Boong-Nyun
BN
Kim
Jae-Won
JW
Kim
Min-Sup
MS
Shin
Seockhoon
S
Chung
Dae-Yeon
DY
Cho
Sun-Woo
SW
Jung
Hee Jeong
HJ
Yoo
In-Won
IW
Chung
Un-Sun
US
Chung
Jung-Woo
JW
Son
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