Sex-specific association of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism and plasma BDNF with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a drug-naïve Han Chinese sample.
A functional polymorphism of the brain derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) (Val66Met) has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It also has an impact on peripheral BDNF levels in psychiatric disorders. This study examined the association of Val66Met with plasma BDNF level of ADHD in Han Chinese children (170 medication - naïve ADHD patients and 155 unaffected controls, aged 6-16 years). The Val allele was showed a higher frequency in females with ADHD (n=84) than controls (P=0.029) from the case-control association study. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that the mean plasma BDNF levels of ADHD patients were significantly higher than that of controls (P=0.001). We performed both total sample and sex stratified analyses to investigate the effect of Val66Met genotype on the plasma BDNF levels, but only a trend of association was found in females with ADHD (n=84), with a tendency of lower plasma BDNF level in Val allele carriers than Met/Met genotype carriers (P=0.071). Our results suggested a sex-specific association between BDNF and ADHD. Furthermore, there was a possible sex-specific relationship between the BDNF Val66Met genotype and plasma BDNF levels. However, further studies are required to elucidate the role of BDNF in ADHD.
Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Haimei
H
Li
Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Lu
L
Liu
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Yilang
Y
Tang
Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Ning
N
Ji
Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Li
L
Yang
Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: qianqiujin@bjmu.edu.cn.
Qiujin
Q
Qian
Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: wangyf@bjmu.edu.cn.
Yufeng
Y
Wang
D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D014633:Valine
ADHD; Association; BDNF; Plasma; Polymorphism; Sex-specific