Background
Previous genetic studies investigating a possible involvement of variations at the
brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene locus in major depressive disorder (MDD),
bipolar affective disorder (BPAD), and schizophrenia have provided inconsistent results.
Methods
We performed single-marker and haplotype analyses using three BDNF polymorphisms in
2,376 individuals (465 MDD, 281 BPAD, 533 schizophrenia, and 1,097 control subjects).
Results
Single-marker analysis did not provide strong evidence for association. Haplotype
analysis of marker combination rs988748-(GT)n-rs6265 produced nominally significant associations for all investigated phenotypes
(global p values: MDD p = .00006, BPAD p = .0057, schizophrenia p = .016). Association with MDD was the most robust finding and could be replicated
in a second German sample of MDD patients and control subjects (p = .0092, uncorrected). Stratification of our schizophrenia sample according to the
presence or absence of a lifetime history of depressive symptoms showed that our finding
in schizophrenia might be attributable mainly to the presence of depressive symptoms.
Conclusions
Association studies of genetic variants of the BDNF gene with various psychiatric
disorders have been published with reports of associations and nonreplications. Our
findings suggest that BDNF may be a susceptibility gene for MDD and schizophrenia—in
particular, in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia with a lifetime history of
depressive symptoms.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 08, 2005
Accepted:
April 7,
2005
Received in revised form:
March 22,
2005
Received:
October 25,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
