Citation

Zai CC, Manchia M, De Luca V, Tiwari AK, Chowdhury NI, Zai GC, Tong RP, Yilmaz Z, Shaikh SA, Strauss J, Kennedy JL. Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. 2012; 15(8): 1037-1042.

Affiliation

Neurogenetics Section, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S1461145711001313

PMID

21875455

Abstract

Suicide is a prominent public health problem. Its aetiology is complex, and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated. We performed the first meta-analysis of the functional BDNF marker Val66Met (rs6265, 196G>A) in suicidal behaviour using data from 11 previously published samples plus our present sample (total n=3352 subjects, 1202 with history of suicidal behaviour. The meta-analysis including all 12 studies showed a trend for the Met-carrying genotypes and Met allele conferring risk for suicide (random-effects model p=0.096; ORMet-carrier=1.13, 95% CI 0.98-1.30, and random-effects model p=0.032; ORMet=1.16, 95% CI 1.01-1.32, respectively). Furthermore, we found the Met allele and the Met allele-carrying genotypes to be associated with history of suicide attempt (eight studies; allelic meta-analysis - random-effects model: p=0.013; fixed-effects model: p=0.006; genotypic meta-analysis - random-effects model: p=0.017; fixed-effects model: p=0.008). Taken together, the results from our study suggest that BDNF Val66Met is involved in suicidality. Further studies are required to elucidate its role in suicidal behaviour.

Language: en