The brain-derived neurotrophic factor VAL68MET polymorphism modulates how developmental ethanol exposure impacts the hippocampus.

ABSTRACT: Prenatal exposure to alcohol causes a wide range of deficits known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Many factors determine vulnerability to developmental alcohol exposure including timing and pattern of exposure, nutrition and genetics. Here, we characterized how a prevalent single nucleotide polymorphism in the human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene (val66met) modulates FASDs severity. This polymorphism disrupts BDNF's intracellular trafficking and activity-dependent secretion, and has been linked to increased incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. We hypothesized that developmental ethanol (EtOH) exposure more severely affects mice carrying this polymorphism. We used transgenic mice homozygous for either valine (BDNFval/val ) or m

SUBMITTER: Bird CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6291361 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature