TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence for a relationship between genetic variants at the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) locus and major depression
AU - Schumacher, Johannes
AU - Jamra, Rami Abou
AU - Becker, Tim
AU - Ohlraun, Stephanie
AU - Klopp, Norman
AU - Binder, Elisabeth B.
AU - Schulze, Thomas G.
AU - Deschner, Monika
AU - Schmäl, Christine
AU - Höfels, Susanne
AU - Zobel, Astrid
AU - Illig, Thomas
AU - Propping, Peter
AU - Holsboer, Florian
AU - Rietschel, Marcella
AU - Nöthen, Markus M.
AU - Cichon, Sven
PY - 2005/8/15
Y1 - 2005/8/15
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Association
KW - BDNF
KW - Bipolar affective disorder
KW - Haplotype analysis
KW - Schizophrenia
KW - Unipolar depression
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U2 - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.006
DO - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 16005437
AN - SCOPUS:23644432395
VL - 58
SP - 307
EP - 314
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
SN - 0006-3223
IS - 4
ER -