Association of a functional BDNF polymorphism and anxiety-related personality traits

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Item Type:	Article
Title:	Association of a functional BDNF polymorphism and anxiety-related personality traits
Creators Name:	Lang, U.E., Hellweg, R., Kalus, P., Bajbouj, M., Lenzen, K.P., Sander, T., Kunz, D. and Gallinat, J.
Abstract:	Rationale: Converging lines of evidence point to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a factor in the pathophysiology of depression. Recently, it was shown that the Val allele of the BDNF Val66Met substitution polymorphism showed a significant association with higher mean neuroticism scores of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) in healthy subjects, and previous studies suggested the Val allele to be increased in bipolar disorder families. The association to anxiety-related traits has not been investigated so far. Methods: We tested a total of 343 unrelated subjects of German descent (171 male, 172 female, age: 39.0±14.6 years) who were carefully screened for psychiatric health. The self-ratable State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), which allows anxiety to be quantified as a comparatively stable personality trait, and the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) was applied. Results: In the trait-related anxiety score, a significant (F=3.2, df=2, p<0.042) effect of the genotype was observed with higher levels of trait anxiety in Val/Val (35.0±7.4) compared to Val/Met (33.4±6.5) and Met/Met (32.0±4.6) genotypes. The NEO neuroticism scores were also higher in Val/Val (29.5±7.0) than in Val/Met (28.4±6.5) or Met/Met (26.8±5.8) genotype, but not at a significant rate. Conclusions: Our findings support the hypothesis that anxiety- and depression-related personality traits are associated with the BDNF polymorphism although the explained variance is low.
Keywords:	Anxiety, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Healthy Volunteers, NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), Neuroticism, Polymorphism, State and trait anxiety inventory (STAI)
Source:	Psychopharmacology
ISSN:	0033-3158
Publisher:	Springer
Volume:	180
Number:	1
Page Range:	95-99
Date:	1 January 2005
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-004-2137-7
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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