Association of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor G196A and Attempted Suicide: A Case-Control Study in Rural China.
BACKGROUND
Suicide is an important public problem, the mechanism of which has not been clarified. Many studies have focused on the molecular, biological and genetic mechanisms of suicide. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) G196A is one of the most leading loci in recent studies, but the results are inconsistent.


METHODS
We conducted a 1:1 age- and sex-matched case-control study in rural areas of Shandong Province, China. A total of 365 pairs of cases and controls were finally recruited into our study. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of BDNF 196G/G and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by multivariate conditional logistic regression models.


RESULTS
No association between BDNF polymorphisms and attempted suicide was found in the overall population. However, the BDNF 196G/G genotype was significantly related to attempted suicide in the elderly population (AOR = 7.85, 95% CI: 1.12-54.90, p = 0.038), while the associations were not significant in young and middle-aged groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that the BDNF 196G/G genotype increases the risk of attempted suicide in elderly people.
Department of Epidemiology, Shandong University School of Public Health and Shandong University Center for Suicide Prevention Research, Jinan, China.
Jin-Yu
JY
Wang
Xin-Ting
XT
Wang
Lin-Lin
LL
Wang
Cun-Xian
CX
Jia
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human