@article{ref1,
title="Association of polymorphism (Val66Met) of brain-derived neurotrophic factor with suicide attempts in depressed patients",
journal="Neuropsychobiology",
year="2008",
author="Sarchiapone, Marco and Carli, Vladimir and Roy, Alec and Iacoviello, Licia and Cuomo, Chiara and Latella, Maria Carmela and di Giannantonio, Massimo and Janiri, Luigi and de Gaetano, Monica and Janal, M. N.",
volume="57",
number="3",
pages="139-145",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: Recent post-mortem studies of suicide victims have implicated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicide. Therefore, it was decided to examine the possible role of a gene in the regulation of BDNF activity in relation to suicidal behaviour among depressed patients. METHOD: A series of 170 depressed patients were evaluated for their history of suicide attempts and genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (SNP ID: rs6265). Depressed patients who had (n = 97) or had not (n = 73) attempted suicide were compared. RESULTS: Depressed patients who carried the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism variant (GA + AA) appeared to show a significantly increased risk of suicidal behaviour. The risk of a suicide attempt was also significantly higher among those reporting higher levels of childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Secondary analyses suggested that depression severity was a significant risk factor only in the wild-type BDNF genotype, and that the risk of suicide attempts was more predictable within the wild-type group. CONCLUSION: These preliminary data suggest that BDNF may play a role in the suicidal behaviour of depressed patients.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0302-282X",
doi="10.1159/000142361",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000142361"
}