BDNF Polymorphism Predicts General Intelligence after Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Neuronal plasticity is a fundamental factor in cognitive outcome following traumatic brain injury. Brain-derived
neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family, plays an important role in this process. While there
are many ways to measure cognitive outcome, general cognitive intelligence is a strong predictor of everyday decisionmaking,
occupational attainment, social mobility and job performance. Thus it is an excellent measure of cognitive outcome
following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although the importance of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms polymorphism on
cognitive function has been previously addressed, its role in recovery of general intelligence following TBI is unknown. We
genotyped male Caucasian Vietnam combat veterans with focal penetrating TBI (pTBI) (n = 109) and non-head injured
controls (n = 38) for 7 BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Subjects were administrated the Armed Forces Qualification
Test (AFQT) at three different time periods: pre-injury on induction into the military, Phase II (10–15 years post-injury, and
Phase III (30–35 years post-injury). Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs7124442 and rs1519480, were significantly
associated with post-injury recovery of general cognitive intelligence with the most pronounced effect at the Phase II time
point, indicating lesion-induced plasticity. The genotypes accounted for 5% of the variance of the AFQT scores,
independently of other significant predictors such as pre-injury intelligence and percentage of brain volume loss. These
data indicate that genetic variations in BDNF play a significant role in lesion-induced recovery following pTBI. Identifying the
underlying mechanism of this brain-derived neurotrophic factor effect could provide insight into an important aspect of
post-traumatic cognitive recovery.
neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family, plays an important role in this process. While there
are many ways to measure cognitive outcome, general cognitive intelligence is a strong predictor of everyday decisionmaking,
occupational attainment, social mobility and job performance. Thus it is an excellent measure of cognitive outcome
following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although the importance of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms polymorphism on
cognitive function has been previously addressed, its role in recovery of general intelligence following TBI is unknown. We
genotyped male Caucasian Vietnam combat veterans with focal penetrating TBI (pTBI) (n = 109) and non-head injured
controls (n = 38) for 7 BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Subjects were administrated the Armed Forces Qualification
Test (AFQT) at three different time periods: pre-injury on induction into the military, Phase II (10–15 years post-injury, and
Phase III (30–35 years post-injury). Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs7124442 and rs1519480, were significantly
associated with post-injury recovery of general cognitive intelligence with the most pronounced effect at the Phase II time
point, indicating lesion-induced plasticity. The genotypes accounted for 5% of the variance of the AFQT scores,
independently of other significant predictors such as pre-injury intelligence and percentage of brain volume loss. These
data indicate that genetic variations in BDNF play a significant role in lesion-induced recovery following pTBI. Identifying the
underlying mechanism of this brain-derived neurotrophic factor effect could provide insight into an important aspect of
post-traumatic cognitive recovery.
Date Issued
2011-11-08
Date Acceptance
2011-10-15
Citation
PLOS One, 2011, 6 (11)
ISSN
1932-6203
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Journal / Book Title
PLOS One
Volume
6
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
This is an open-access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for
any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.
any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.
License URL
Subjects
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES
NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR GENE
FACTOR VAL66MET POLYMORPHISM
FAMILY-BASED ASSOCIATION
TRKB MESSENGER-RNA
BIPOLAR DISORDER
HEAD-INJURY
APOLIPOPROTEIN-E
CONFERS SUSCEPTIBILITY
HIPPOCAMPAL-FORMATION
ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e27389