Brain derived neurotrophic factor moderates associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring behavioral disorders.

ABSTRACT: Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with a number of adverse offspring outcomes. In the present study, based on 209 offspring from a 3-generation family study of depression, we show that the effects of prenatal exposure on offspring externalizing psychopathology (conduct, substance use disorder) is more pronounced in the presence of lower-expressing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene variants. BDNF plays an important role in the development and survival of neural circuits. Individuals with low-expressing variants who are further exposed to prenatal tobacco smoke may be most vulnerable to a spectrum of behavioral disorders that depend on these circuits.

SUBMITTER: Talati A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5067210 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature