title: Interaction between BDNF rs6265 Met allele and low family cohesion is associated with smaller left hippocampal volume in pediatric bipolar disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic and environmental factors are implicated in the onset and evolution of pediatric bipolar disorder, and may be associated to structural brain abnormalities. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of the interaction between the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) rs6265 polymorphism and family functioning on hippocampal volumes of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder, and typically-developing controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the family functioning cohesion subscale using the Family Environment Scale-Revised, genotyped the BDNF rs6265 polymorphism, and performed structural brain imaging in 29 children and adolescents with bipolar disorder, and 22 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not find significant differences between patients with BD or controls in left or right hippocampus volume (p=0.44, and p=0.71, respectively). However, we detected a significant interaction between low scores on the cohesion subscale and the presence of the Met allele at BNDF on left hippocampal volume of patients with bipolar disorder (F=3.4, p=0.043). None of the factors independently (BDNF Val66Met, cohesion scores) was significantly associated with hippocampal volume differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  small sample size, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results may lead to a better understanding of the impact of the interaction between genes and environment factors on brain structures associated to bipolar disorder and its manifestations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: Cristian.P.Zeni@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Cristian Patrick
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Zeni
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Benson
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mwangi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, UT Houston Medical School, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Khader M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Consuelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walss-Bass
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Giovana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zunta-Soares
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Jair C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Soares
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics; D059906:Neuroimaging; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human; D008715:Methionine
keywords: BDNF; Bipolar disorder; Family functioning; Gene-environment; Hippocampus; Neuroimaging; Pediatric