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Association between the BDNF 196 A/G polymorphism and sporadic Alzheimer's disease

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages 136–137 (2002)Cite this article

SIR – Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic brain disorder associated with specific pathological changes resulting in neurodegeneration and in progressive development of dementia. This disease is clinically characterized by memory, reasoning and speech disorders and pathologically by the presence of senile plaques (SP), neurofibrillary tangles, and loss of synapses.1 There are various hypotheses regarding an involvement of genetic factors in the development of AD. Mutations of genes encoding amyloid precursor protein, presenilin-1 and presenilin-2 cause familial AD,2,3 and the ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene gives susceptibility to familial and sporadic AD.4 However, this genetic marker cannot explain the overall genetic susceptibility and additional/other genes may be involved in the development of AD.

Genes involved in the neurodevelopmental process may be considered good candidates to confer susceptibility to AD. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors which promotes survival, differentiation and maintenance of neurons in peripheral and central nervous system during normal development,5 influences axonal growth and connectivity6 and participates in the local responses to various types of neuronal stress or insults.7

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Genetics Unit, IRCCS ‘S Giovanni di Dio’, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, 25100, Italy

    M Ventriglia, L Bocchio Chiavetto & M Gennarelli

  2. Neurobiology Laboratory, IRCCS ‘S Giovanni di Dio’, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, 25100, Italy

    L Benussi & G Binetti

  3. Alzheimer Unit, IRCCS ‘S Giovanni di Dio’, Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, 25100, Italy

    G Binetti & O Zanetti

  4. Center of Neuropharmacology, Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, 20100, Italy

    M A Riva

Authors
  1. M Ventriglia
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  2. L Bocchio Chiavetto
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  3. L Benussi
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  4. G Binetti
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  5. O Zanetti
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  6. M A Riva
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  7. M Gennarelli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M Gennarelli.

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Ventriglia, M., Bocchio Chiavetto, L., Benussi, L. et al. Association between the BDNF 196 A/G polymorphism and sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Mol Psychiatry 7, 136–137 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4000952

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