title: The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is associated with the functional connectivity dynamics of pain modulatory systems in primary dysmenorrhea.
abstract: Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM), menstrual pain without an organic cause, is a prevailing problem in women of reproductive age. We previously reported alterations of structure and functional connectivity (FC) in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of PDM subjects. Given that the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) acts as a pain modulator within the PAG and the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism contributes towards susceptibility to PDM, the present study of imaging genetics set out to investigate the influence of, firstly, the BDNF Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism and, secondly, the genotype-pain interplays on the descending pain modulatory systems in the context of PAG-seeded FC patterning. Fifty-six subjects with PDM and 60 controls participated in the current study of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during the menstruation and peri-ovulatory phases; in parallel, blood samples were taken for genotyping. Our findings indicate that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is associated with the diverse functional expressions of the descending pain modulatory systems. Furthermore, PAG FC patterns in pain-free controls are altered in women with PDM in a genotype-specific manner. Such resilient brain dynamics may underpin the individual differences and shed light on the vulnerability for chronic pain disorders of PDM subjects.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shyh-Yuh
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiang-Tai
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Intan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Low
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Horng-Der
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Institute of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.|Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Chuen
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008715:Methionine / Q000235:genetics*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D014633:Valine / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human; D008715:Methionine; D014633:Valine