title: Intense training overcomes effects of the Val66Met BDNF polymorphism on short-term plasticity.
abstract: The val(66)met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene impacts activity-dependent secretion of BDNF and modifies short-term cortical plasticity. The current study examined whether sustained training overcomes polymorphism effects on short-term plasticity and also examined polymorphism effects on long-term plasticity. Twenty-four subjects completed a 12-day protocol of daily training on a marble navigation task that required intense use of the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) muscle. In parallel, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) mapping was used to assess serial measures of short-term cortical motor map plasticity, plus long-term cortical motor map plasticity, of the cortical FDI map. On Day 1, subjects with the polymorphism did not show significant short-term cortical motor map plasticity over 30 min of FDI activity, but subjects without the polymorphism did. After 5 days of intense training, a genotype-based difference in short-term cortical motor map plasticity was no longer found, as both groups showed short-term plasticity across the 30 min of FDI activity. Also, across 12 days of training, map area decreased significantly, in a manner that did not vary in relation to genotype. Training of sufficient intensity and duration overcomes effects that the val(66)met polymorphism has on short-term cortical motor map plasticity. The polymorphism-related differences seen with short-term plasticity are not found with long-term cortical motor map plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine Medical Center, 101 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868-4280, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McHughen
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pearson-Fuhrhop
authors.forename: Vivian K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics*; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000379:methods*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000502:physiology*; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008715:Methionine; D014633:Valine