The C270T polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene is associated with schizophrenia

• Published in: Schizophrenia research Vol. 65; no. 1; pp. 15 - 18
• Main Authors: Szekeres, György, Juhász, Anna, Rimanóczy, Ágnes, Kéri, Szabolcs, Janka, Zoltán
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.12.2003; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Association study; Biological and medical sciences; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - genetics; Female; Gene Frequency - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; Genotype; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurodevelopmental hypothesis; Neurotrophic factors; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenia - genetics; Schizophrenic Psychology; Schizophrenia; Association study; Neurotrophic factors; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); Polymorphism; Neurodevelopmental hypothesis; Human; Genetic marker; Pathophysiology; Social adjustment; Vulnerability; Genetic determinism; Psychosis; Neurotrophic factor; Symptomatology; Genetics; Brain derived neurotrophic factor; Single nucleotide polymorphism; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0920-9964; 1573-2509
• DOI: 10.1016/S0920-9964(02)00505-4

We investigated a novel polymorphism of single nucleotide substitution (C270T) of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene in schizophrenia patients ( n=101) and in controls ( n=68). The frequency of the C/T genotype and the T allele were significantly higher in the schizophrenia patients (25.7% and 13.9%, respectively) compared with the controls (5.9% and 2.9%). There were no significant differences in Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) items and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores between the patients with C/C and C/T genotypes. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the significance of this finding in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.