BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism impact on cortical plasticity in schizophrenia patients: a proof-of-concept study
Background:Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to be a moderator of neuroplasticity. A frequent BDNF-polymorphism (Val66Met) is associated with impairments of cortical plasticity. In patients with schizophrenia, reduced neuroplastic responses following non-invasive brain stimulat...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
21 January 2015
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| In: |
The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
Year: 2015, Volume: 18, Issue: 4, Pages: 1-11 |
| ISSN: | 1469-5111 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/ijnp/pyu040 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyu040 Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://academic-oup-com.ezproxy.medma.uni-heidelberg.de/ijnp/article/18/4/pyu040/663472/BDNF-Val66Met-Polymorphism-Impact-on-Cortical 
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| Author Notes: | Wolfgang Strube, MD; Michael A. Nitsche, MD; Thomas Wobrock, MD; Tilmann Bunse, MD; Bettina Rein, MD; Maximiliane Herrmann, MD; Andrea Schmitt, MD; Vanessa Nieratschker, PhD; Stephanie H. Witt, PhD; Marcella Rietschel, MD; Peter Falkai, MD; Alkomiet Hasan, MD |
| Summary: | Background:Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to be a moderator of neuroplasticity. A frequent BDNF-polymorphism (Val66Met) is associated with impairments of cortical plasticity. In patients with schizophrenia, reduced neuroplastic responses following non-invasive brain stimulation have been reported consistently. Various studies have indicated a relationship between the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism and motor-cortical plasticity in healthy individuals, but schizophrenia patients have yet to be investigated. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was, therefore, to test the impact of the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism on inhibitory and facilitatory cortical plasticity in schizophrenia patients.Methods:Cortical plasticity was investigated in 22 schizophrenia patients and 35 healthy controls using anodal and cathodal transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the left primary motor cortex. Animal and human research indicates that excitability shifts following anodal and cathodal tDCS are related to molecular long-term potentiation and long-term depression. To test motor-cortical excitability before and after tDCS, well-established single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols were applied.Results:Our analysis revealed increased glutamate-mediated intracortical facilitation in met-heterozygotes compared to val-homozygotes at baseline. Following cathodal tDCS, schizophrenia met-heterozygotes had reduced gamma-amino-butyric-acid-mediated short-interval intracortical inhibition, whereas healthy met-heterozygotes displayed the opposite effect. The BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism did not influence single-pulse motor-evoked potential amplitudes after tDCS.Conclusions:These preliminary findings support the notion of an association of the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism with observable alterations in plasticity following cathodal tDCS in schizophrenia patients. This indicates a complex interaction between inhibitory intracortical interneuron-networks, cortical plasticity, and the BDNF-Val66Met-polymorphism. Further replication and validation need to be dedicated to this question to confirm this relationship. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 01.09.2017 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1469-5111 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/ijnp/pyu040 |