HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in BJP Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by GREEN, E. K. Articles by CRADDOCK, N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by GREEN, E. K. Articles by CRADDOCK, N.

Genetic variation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in bipolar disorder

Case-control study of over 3000 individuals from the UK

Department of Psychological Medicine, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

STUART MACGREGOR, PhD

Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Unit, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

SALLY HYDE, BSc

Division of Neuroscience, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, Wales, UK

ALLAN H. YOUNG, MD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Newcastle, Wales, UK

MICHAEL C. O'DONOVAN, PhD, FRCPsych, MICHAEL J. OWEN, PhD, FRCPsych and GEORGE KIROV, MD, MRCPsych

Department of Psychological Medicine, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

LISA JONES, PhD

Division of Neuroscience, University of Birmingham, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, Wales, UK

IAN JONES, PhD, MRCPsych and NICK CRADDOCK, PhD, FRCPsych

Department of Psychological Medicine, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK

Correspondence: Professor Nick Craddock, Department of Psychological Medicine, Henry Wellcome Building, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF4 4XN, UK. Tel: +44 (0)2920 744663; fax: +44 (0) 22920 746554; e-mail: craddockn{at}cardiff.ac.uk

Declaration of interest N.C. and M.J.O. are consultants to GlaxoSmithKline and have received grant funding and honoraria from GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly. M.C. O'D., A.H.Y., L.J. and G.K. have received honoraria from GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly. G.K. has received grant funding from Janssen. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) influences neuronal survival, proliferation and plasticity. Three family-based studies have shown association of the common Valine (Val) allele of the Val66Met polymorphism of the BDNF gene with susceptibility to bipolar disorder.

Aims To replicate this finding.

Method We genotyped the Val66Met polymorphism in our UK White bipolar case-control sample (n=3062).

Results We found no overall evidence of allele or genotype association. However, we found association with disease status in the subset of 131 individuals that had experienced rapid cycling at some time (P=0.004). We found a similar association on re-analysis of our previously reported family-based association sample (P < 0.03, one-tailed test).

Conclusions Variation at the Val66Met polymorphism of BDNF does not play a major role in influencing susceptibility to bipolar disorder as a whole, but is associated with susceptibility to the rapid-cycling subset of the disorder.

Related articles in BJP:

Highlights of this issue

SUKHWINDER S. SHERGILL
BJP 2006 188: 1-a1. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Bibliography BIPOLAR DISORDER Focus, January 1, 2007; 5(1): 40 - 43. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Abstracts FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER Focus, January 1, 2007; 5(1): 44 - 58. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. del Toro, J. M. Canals, S. Gines, M. Kojima, G. Egea, and J. Alberch Mutant huntingtin Impairs the Post-Golgi Trafficking of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor But Not Its Val66Met Polymorphism J. Neurosci., December 6, 2006; 26(49): 12748 - 12757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. J. MULLER, V. DE LUCA, T. SICARD, N. KING, J. STRAUSS, and J. L. KENNEDY Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: Family-based association study The British Journal of Psychiatry, October 1, 2006; 189(4): 317 - 323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]