OBJECTIVE To explore associations of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism with cognitive functioning and psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS We included 133 subjects meeting the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia who were in the post-acute stage of the disease. BDNF Val66Met genotypes were identified via polymerase chain reaction. The computeri...

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) is one of many genes thought to influence neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis. A common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the BDNF gene due to valine-to-methionine substitution at codon 66 (BDNF Val66Met) in the normal population has been associated with complex neuronal phenotype, including differences in brain morpho...

Cognitive flexibility plays an important role in an individual's ability to adapt to a continuously changing environment and is considered central to goal-oriented behavior. Accordingly, increasing attention has been devoted to understanding the factors, including genetic and early life experiences, which might contribute to individual differences in this ability. In the present investigation, ...

The studies presented in this thesis employ neurophysiological outcome measures and the application of artificially induced cortical stimulation plasticity paradigms to study the effects of human genetic variation on human cortical neuroplasticity. The introductory chapter includes a review of illustrative models of neuroplasticity. I also cover the principles, physiology and pharmacology of TM...

There is accumulating evidence that neurotrophins, like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), may impact aging and Alzheimer's Disease. However, traditional genetic association studies have not found a clear relationship between BDNF and AD. Our goal was to test whether BDNF single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) impact Alzheimer's Disease-related brain imaging and cognitive markers of dise...

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is part of the family of neurotrophic factors and is widely expressed in the human brain. BDNF is involved in many neuronal physiological functions, including synaptic plasticity and remodeling, axonal guidance, induction of long-term potentiation, and resilience to neuronal insults, as well as modulation of amyloid-b production. Given its relevance to t...