PMID- 19220486
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20090511
LR  - 20211020
IS  - 1601-183X (Electronic)
IS  - 1601-1848 (Print)
IS  - 1601-183X (Linking)
VI  - 8
IP  - 1
DP  - 2009 Feb
TI  - Genetic variation in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and human fear 
      conditioning.
PG  - 80-5
LID - 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2008.00447.x [doi]
AB  - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in 
      hippocampal-dependent learning processes, and carriers of the Met allele of the 
      Val66Met BDNF genotype are characterized by reduced hippocampal structure and 
      function. Recent nonhuman animal work suggests that BDNF is also crucial for 
      amygdala-dependent associative learning. The present study sought to examine fear 
      conditioning as a function of the BDNF polymorphism. Fifty-seven participants 
      were genotyped for the BDNF polymorphism and took part in a 
      differential-conditioning paradigm. Participants were shocked following a 
      particular conditioned stimulus (CS+) and were also presented with stimuli that 
      ranged in perceptual similarity to the CS+ (20, 40 or 60% smaller or larger than 
      the CS+). The eye blink component of the startle response was measured to 
      quantify fear conditioning; post-task shock likelihood ratings for each stimulus 
      were also obtained. All participants reported that shock likelihood varied with 
      perceptual similarity to the CS+ and showed potentiated startle in response to CS 
      +/- 20% stimuli. However, only the Val/Val group had potentiated startle 
      responses to the CS+. Met allele carrying individuals were characterized by 
      deficient fear conditioning--evidenced by an attenuated startle response to CS+ 
      stimuli. Variation in the BDNF genotype appears related to abnormal fear 
      conditioning, consistent with nonhuman animal work on the importance of BDNF in 
      amygdala-dependent associative learning. The relation between genetic variation 
      in BDNF and amygdala-dependent associative learning deficits is discussed in 
      terms of potential mechanisms of risk for psychopathology.
FAU - Hajcak, G
AU  - Hajcak G
AD  - Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2500, 
      USA. greg.hajcak@stonybrook.edu
FAU - Castille, C
AU  - Castille C
FAU - Olvet, D M
AU  - Olvet DM
FAU - Dunning, J P
AU  - Dunning JP
FAU - Roohi, J
AU  - Roohi J
FAU - Hatchwell, E
AU  - Hatchwell E
LA  - eng
GR  - T32 GM008444/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - England
TA  - Genes Brain Behav
JT  - Genes, brain, and behavior
JID - 101129617
RN  - 0 (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor)
SB  - IM
MH  - Acoustic Stimulation
MH  - Amygdala/physiology
MH  - Blinking
MH  - Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/*genetics
MH  - Conditioning, Psychological/*physiology
MH  - Data Interpretation, Statistical
MH  - Electromyography
MH  - Fear/*physiology
MH  - Female
MH  - Genetic Variation
MH  - Genotype
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Photic Stimulation
MH  - Reflex, Startle/genetics/physiology
MH  - Young Adult
PMC - PMC4345410
MID - NIHMS666641
EDAT- 2009/02/18 09:00
MHDA- 2009/05/12 09:00
PMCR- 2015/03/02
CRDT- 2009/02/18 09:00
PHST- 2009/02/18 09:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2009/02/18 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2009/05/12 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2015/03/02 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - GBB447 [pii]
AID - 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2008.00447.x [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Genes Brain Behav. 2009 Feb;8(1):80-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2008.00447.x.