A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that develops in some people after exposure to a traumatic event. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is highly expressed in the mammalian brain and is thought to be involved in learning and memory processes. A nonsynonymous polym...

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Main Authors: Dagmar Bruenig, Janine Lurie, Charles P. Morris, Wendy Harvey, Bruce Lawford, Ross McD Young, Joanne Voisey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6979435
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author Dagmar Bruenig
Janine Lurie
Charles P. Morris
Wendy Harvey
Bruce Lawford
Ross McD Young
Joanne Voisey
author_facet Dagmar Bruenig
Janine Lurie
Charles P. Morris
Wendy Harvey
Bruce Lawford
Ross McD Young
Joanne Voisey
author_sort Dagmar Bruenig
collection DOAJ
description Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that develops in some people after exposure to a traumatic event. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is highly expressed in the mammalian brain and is thought to be involved in learning and memory processes. A nonsynonymous polymorphism in the BDNF gene, rs6265 (Val66Met), has been hypothesised to be associated with PTSD. Association studies examining the Val66Met polymorphism and PTSD have been inconclusive, likely due to the variability in type of trauma exposure analysed. Vietnam veterans (n=257) screened for PTSD and controlled for trauma exposure were genotyped for BDNF Val66Met. The association was not significant so we incorporated our data into a meta-analysis to obtain greater statistical power. A comprehensive search of more than 1237 articles revealed eight additional studies suitable for meta-analysis (n=3625). A random-effects meta-analysis observed a potential protective factor of the Val/Val genotype. After removing two studies with violation of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, findings for the Val/Val genotype reached significance. Subgroup analyses confirmed a trend for this finding. Limitations of some studies that inform this meta-analysis include poorly screened controls and a lack of examination of population stratification. Effectively designed studies should inform this line of research in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-2d246a71c7644c0baee7a72a2350b1d62025-08-20T02:24:14ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432016-01-01201610.1155/2016/69794356979435A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSDDagmar Bruenig0Janine Lurie1Charles P. Morris2Wendy Harvey3Bruce Lawford4Ross McD Young5Joanne Voisey6School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), 60 Musk Avenue, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), 60 Musk Avenue, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), 60 Musk Avenue, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, AustraliaGallipoli Medical Research Foundation, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Newdegate Street, Greenslopes, QLD 4120, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), 60 Musk Avenue, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), 60 Musk Avenue, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, AustraliaSchool of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), 60 Musk Avenue, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, AustraliaPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that develops in some people after exposure to a traumatic event. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is highly expressed in the mammalian brain and is thought to be involved in learning and memory processes. A nonsynonymous polymorphism in the BDNF gene, rs6265 (Val66Met), has been hypothesised to be associated with PTSD. Association studies examining the Val66Met polymorphism and PTSD have been inconclusive, likely due to the variability in type of trauma exposure analysed. Vietnam veterans (n=257) screened for PTSD and controlled for trauma exposure were genotyped for BDNF Val66Met. The association was not significant so we incorporated our data into a meta-analysis to obtain greater statistical power. A comprehensive search of more than 1237 articles revealed eight additional studies suitable for meta-analysis (n=3625). A random-effects meta-analysis observed a potential protective factor of the Val/Val genotype. After removing two studies with violation of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, findings for the Val/Val genotype reached significance. Subgroup analyses confirmed a trend for this finding. Limitations of some studies that inform this meta-analysis include poorly screened controls and a lack of examination of population stratification. Effectively designed studies should inform this line of research in the future.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6979435
spellingShingle Dagmar Bruenig
Janine Lurie
Charles P. Morris
Wendy Harvey
Bruce Lawford
Ross McD Young
Joanne Voisey
A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSD
Neural Plasticity
title A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSD
title_full A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSD
title_fullStr A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSD
title_full_unstemmed A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSD
title_short A Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis Reveal BDNF Val66Met Is a Possible Risk Factor for PTSD
title_sort case control study and meta analysis reveal bdnf val66met is a possible risk factor for ptsd
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6979435
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