PMID- 24247044
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20141201
LR  - 20211021
IS  - 1740-634X (Electronic)
IS  - 0893-133X (Print)
IS  - 0893-133X (Linking)
VI  - 39
IP  - 5
DP  - 2014 Apr
TI  - The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism modulates the generalization of cued fear 
      responses to a novel context.
PG  - 1187-95
LID - 10.1038/npp.2013.320 [doi]
AB  - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has a crucial role in activity-dependent 
      synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. The human functional 
      single-nucleotide BDNF rs6265 (Val66Met) polymorphism has been found to be 
      associated with alteration in neural BDNF release and function correlating with 
      altered emotional behavior. Here, we investigated for the first time the 
      hypothesis that this polymorphism in humans modulates the context dependency of 
      conditioned fear responses. Applying a new paradigm examining generalization of 
      cued fear across contexts, 70 participants stratified for BDNF Val66Met 
      polymorphism were guided through two virtual offices (context) in which briefly 
      illuminated blue and yellow lights served as cues. In the fear context, one light 
      (conditioned stimulus, CS+) but not the other light (CS-) was associated with an 
      electric shock (unconditioned stimulus, US). In the safety context, both lights 
      were presented too, but no US was delivered. During the test phase, lights were 
      presented again both in learning contexts and in a novel generalization context 
      without any US. All participants showed clear fear conditioning to the CS+ in the 
      fear context as indicated by potentiation of startle responses and reports of 
      fear. No fear reactions were found for the CS+ in the safety context. 
      Importantly, generalization of fear responses indicated by the potentiation of 
      startle response to the CS+ compared with the CS- in the novel context was 
      evident only in the Met-carrying group. These are the first results to provide 
      evidence in humans that BDNF modulates the generalization of fear responses. Such 
      context-dependent generalization processes might predispose Met carriers for 
      affective and anxiety disorders.
FAU - Muhlberger, Andreas
AU  - Muhlberger A
AD  - 1] Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and 
      Psychotherapy), University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany [2] Department of 
      Experimental Psychology (Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy), University of 
      Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
FAU - Andreatta, Marta
AU  - Andreatta M
AD  - Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and 
      Psychotherapy), University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
FAU - Ewald, Heike
AU  - Ewald H
AD  - Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and 
      Psychotherapy), University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
FAU - Glotzbach-Schoon, Evelyn
AU  - Glotzbach-Schoon E
AD  - Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and 
      Psychotherapy), University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
FAU - Troger, Christian
AU  - Troger C
AD  - Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and 
      Psychotherapy), University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
FAU - Baumann, Christian
AU  - Baumann C
AD  - 1] Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and 
      Psychotherapy), University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany [2] Department of 
      Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, 
      Germany.
FAU - Reif, Andreas
AU  - Reif A
AD  - Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University of 
      Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
FAU - Deckert, Jurgen
AU  - Deckert J
AD  - Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University of 
      Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
FAU - Pauli, Paul
AU  - Pauli P
AD  - Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and 
      Psychotherapy), University of Wurzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20131119
PL  - England
TA  - Neuropsychopharmacology
JT  - Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of 
      Neuropsychopharmacology
JID - 8904907
RN  - 0 (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor)
RN  - 7171WSG8A2 (BDNF protein, human)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - Anxiety/genetics
MH  - Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/*genetics
MH  - *Conditioning, Psychological
MH  - *Cues
MH  - Discrimination, Psychological
MH  - Double-Blind Method
MH  - Electroshock
MH  - *Fear
MH  - Female
MH  - *Generalization, Psychological
MH  - Genotype
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Photic Stimulation
MH  - *Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
MH  - Reflex, Startle/genetics
MH  - Young Adult
PMC - PMC3957113
EDAT- 2013/11/20 06:00
MHDA- 2014/12/15 06:00
PMCR- 2015/04/01
CRDT- 2013/11/20 06:00
PHST- 2013/04/01 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2013/10/15 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2013/10/16 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2013/11/20 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2013/11/20 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2014/12/15 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2015/04/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - npp2013320 [pii]
AID - 10.1038/npp.2013.320 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Neuropsychopharmacology. 2014 Apr;39(5):1187-95. doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.320. Epub 
      2013 Nov 19.