Dataset Information

Effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and met allele load on declarative memory related neural networks.

ABSTRACT: It has been suggested that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism modulates episodic memory performance via effects on hippocampal neural circuitry. However, fMRI studies have yielded inconsistent results in this respect. Moreover, very few studies have examined the effect of met allele load on activation of memory circuitry. In the present study, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of the effects of the BDNF polymorphism on brain responses during episodic memory encoding and retrieval, including an investigation of the effect of met allele load on memory related activation in the medial temporal lobe. In contrast to previous studies, we found no evidence for an effect of BDNF genotype or met load during episodic memory encoding. Met allele carriers showed increased activation during successful retrieval in right hippocampus but this was contrast-specific and unaffected by met allele load. These results suggest that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism does not, as previously claimed, exert an observable effect on neural systems underlying encoding of new information into episodic memory but may exert a subtle effect on the efficiency with which such information can be retrieved.

SUBMITTER: Dodds CM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3823923 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and met allele load on declarative memory related neural networks.

Dodds Chris M CM Henson Richard N RN Suckling John J Miskowiak Kamilla W KW Ooi Cinly C Tait Roger R Soltesz Fruzsina F Lawrence Phil P Bentley Graham G Maltby Kay K Skeggs Andrew A Miller Sam R SR McHugh Simon S Bullmore Edward T ET Nathan Pradeep J PJ

PloS one 20131111 11

It has been suggested that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism modulates episodic memory performance via effects on hippocampal neural circuitry. However, fMRI studies have yielded inconsistent results in this respect. Moreover, very few studies have examined the effect of met allele load on activation of memory circuitry. In the present study, we carried out a comprehensive analysis of the effects of the BDNF polymorphism on brain responses during episodic memory encoding and retrieval, including an ...[more]

PMID: 24244264

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Project description:It is hypothesized that a fundamental function of sleep is to restore an individual's day-to-day ability to learn and to constantly adapt to a changing environment through brain plasticity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is among the key regulators that shape brain plasticity. However, advancing age and carrying the BDNF Met allele were both identified as factors that potentially reduce BDNF secretion, brain plasticity, and memory. Here, we investigated the moderating role of BDNF polymorphism on sleep and next-morning learning ability in 107 nondemented individuals who were between 55 and 84 years of age. All subjects were tested with 1 night of in-laboratory polysomnography followed by a cognitive evaluation the next morning. We found that in subjects carrying the BDNF Val66Val polymorphism, consolidated sleep was associated with significantly better performance on hippocampus-dependent episodic memory tasks the next morning (?-values from 0.290 to 0.434, p ? 0.01). In subjects carrying at least one copy of the BDNF Met allele, a more consolidated sleep was not associated with better memory performance in most memory tests (?-values from -0.309 to -0.392, p values from 0.06 to 0.15). Strikingly, increased sleep consolidation was associated with poorer performance in learning a short story presented verbally in Met allele carriers (? = -0.585, p = 0.005). This study provides new evidence regarding the interacting roles of consolidated sleep and BDNF polymorphism in the ability to learn and stresses the importance of considering BDNF polymorphism when studying how sleep affects cognition.Individuals with the BDNF Val/Val (valine allele) polymorphism showed better memory performance after a night of consolidated sleep. However, we observed that middle-aged and older individuals who are carriers of the BDNF Met allele displayed no positive association between sleep quality and their ability to learn the next morning. This interaction between sleep and BDNF polymorphism was more salient for hippocampus-dependent tasks than for other cognitive tasks. Our results support the hypothesis that reduced activity-dependent secretion of BDNF impairs the benefits of sleep on synaptic plasticity and next-day memory. Our work advances the field by revealing new evidence of a clear genetic heterogeneity in how sleep consolidation contributes to the ability to learn.

Dataset Information

Effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and met allele load on declarative memory related neural networks.

Publications

Effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism and met allele load on declarative memory related neural networks.

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