title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in Egyptian schizophrenia patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been advanced as a candidate gene for schizophrenia. BDNF promote the function and growth of 5-HT neurons in the brain and modulate the synaptic plasticity of DRD3-secreting neurons in the striatum, suggesting involvement of BDNF in the mediation of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism influence obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in schizophrenia, we examined the association between the BDNF Val66Met genotypes and OCS in a group of patients with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  320 schizophrenia patients were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS). BDNF Val66Met polymorphism was genotyped using PCR-RFLP method, and severity of OCS were compared between the genotype groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 320 schizophrenia patients, 120 patients (37.5%) had significant OCS. There was a significant excess of valine allele in the schizophrenia with-OCS group compared to the without-OCS group. The mean YBOCS scores were significantly different among the three genotype groups. Val/Val homozygote patients had higher mean YBOCS scores compared to Val/Met genotype (p = 0.0001) as well as to the Met/Met homozygote group (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggested an association between BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and OCS in Egyptian schizophrenia patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
authors.forename: Haytham M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hashim
authors.forename: Nagy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fawzy
authors.forename: Mohab M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Fawzi
authors.forename: Rehab A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Karam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008715:Methionine; D014633:Valine