Amygdala-dependent fear conditioning in humans is modulated by the BDNFval66met polymorphism

TY - JOUR

T1 - Amygdala-dependent fear conditioning in humans is modulated by the BDNFval66met polymorphism

AU - Lonsdorf, Tina B

AU - Weike, Almut I

AU - Golkar, Armita

AU - Schalling, Martin

AU - Hamm, Alfons O

AU - Ohman, Arne

N1 - (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

PY - 2010/2/1

Y1 - 2010/2/1

N2 - The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critically involved in neuroplasticity, as well as the acquisition, consolidation, and retention of hippocampal- and amygdala-dependent learning. A common functional A-->G single nucleotide polymorphism (BDNFval66met) in the prodomain of the human BDNF gene is associated with abnormal intracellular trafficking and reduced activity-dependent BDNF release. We studied the effect of BDNFval66met in an aversive differential fear conditioning, and a delayed extinction paradigm in 57 healthy participants. Pictures of male faces were used as stimuli and fear learning was quantified by fear potentiated startle (FPS) and skin conductance responses (SCR). Aware BDNF met-carriers show a deficit in amygdala-dependent fear conditioning as indicated by an absence of FPS responses in the last acquisition block. This deficit was maintained in the first block of extinction. No genotype differences were found in conditioned SCR discrimination. These data provide evidence for the involvement of BDNF signaling in human amygdala-dependent learning. We suggest that the BDNF met-allele may have a protective effect for the development of affective pathologies that may be mediated via reduced synaptic plasticity induced by negative experience.

AB - The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critically involved in neuroplasticity, as well as the acquisition, consolidation, and retention of hippocampal- and amygdala-dependent learning. A common functional A-->G single nucleotide polymorphism (BDNFval66met) in the prodomain of the human BDNF gene is associated with abnormal intracellular trafficking and reduced activity-dependent BDNF release. We studied the effect of BDNFval66met in an aversive differential fear conditioning, and a delayed extinction paradigm in 57 healthy participants. Pictures of male faces were used as stimuli and fear learning was quantified by fear potentiated startle (FPS) and skin conductance responses (SCR). Aware BDNF met-carriers show a deficit in amygdala-dependent fear conditioning as indicated by an absence of FPS responses in the last acquisition block. This deficit was maintained in the first block of extinction. No genotype differences were found in conditioned SCR discrimination. These data provide evidence for the involvement of BDNF signaling in human amygdala-dependent learning. We suggest that the BDNF met-allele may have a protective effect for the development of affective pathologies that may be mediated via reduced synaptic plasticity induced by negative experience.

KW - Acoustic Stimulation

KW - Amygdala

KW - Analysis of Variance

KW - Avoidance Learning

KW - Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

KW - Conditioning, Classical

KW - Electromyography

KW - Extinction, Psychological

KW - Fear

KW - Female

KW - Galvanic Skin Response

KW - Genotype

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Methionine

KW - Photic Stimulation

KW - Polymorphism, Genetic

KW - Startle Reaction

KW - Students

KW - Universities

KW - Valine

U2 - 10.1037/a0018261

DO - 10.1037/a0018261

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 20141276

VL - 124

SP - 9

EP - 15

JO - BEHAV NEUROSCI

JF - BEHAV NEUROSCI

SN - 0735-7044

IS - 1

ER -