title: Evidence for Association between the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene and Panic Disorder: A Novel Haplotype Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Panic disorder (PD) is a common psychiatric disorder with a complex etiology, and several studies have suggested that it has a genetic component. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most abundant of the neurotrophins in the brain and is recognized for its important role in the survival, differentiation and growth of neurons. Several lines of research have suggested possible associations between the BDNF gene and PD. In this study, we investigated the BDNF 196G/A (rs6265), 11757G/C (rs16917204), and 270C/T (rs56164415) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in order to determine an association with PD. We also identified the genetic sequence associations with PD via haplotype analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants in this study included 136 PD patients and 263 healthy controls. Male and female subjects were analyzed separately. The genotype and allele frequencies of the PD patients and controls were analyzed using χ(2) statistics. Frequencies and haplotype reconstructions were calculated using the SNP analyzer 2.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no significant statistical differences in the genotype distributions or allele frequencies of the three tested polymorphisms between the PD and control groups. In addition, no differences were found between PD patients and the controls in either male or female subgroups. However, we found that, the frequency of the G-C haplotype for 196G/A and 11757G/C was significantly higher in PD patients than in the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our result suggest that patients with the G-C haplotype for 196G/A and 11757G/C may be more susceptible to the development of PD. Further studies are needed to replicate the associations that we observed.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
authors: Eun-Jin
authors: EJ
authors: Han
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
authors: Yong-Ku
authors: YK
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jung-A
authors: JA
authors: Hwang
authors: Departmet of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Seung-Hyun
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: Departmet of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Heon-Jeong
authors: HJ
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Republic of Korea.
authors: Ho-Kyoung
authors: HK
authors: Yoon
authors: Departmet of Psychiatry, Gacheon University Gil Hospital, School of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
authors: Kyeong-Sae
authors: KS
authors: Na
keywords: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; Panic disorder; Polymorphism