Pathoclinical associations between panic disorders and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism: an updated meta-analysis

Abstract

Prior studies have indicated the pathological role of brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphism in panic disorders (PD). A functionally less active BDNF Val66Met mutant was previously detected in PD patients with different ethnic backgrounds. However, the results remain inconclusive or inconsistent. A meta-analysis was used to explore the consistency of the BDNF Val66Met mutant's association with PD irrespective of the subject's ethnicity. Relevant case-controlled full-length clinical and preclinical reports were retrieved by database searching, and 11 articles involving 2203 cases and 2554 controls were systematically selected per the standard inclusion criteria. Eleven articles were finally included that explored the relationship between the Val66Met polymorphism and PD risk susceptibility. Statistical analysis revealed a significant genetic association of the mutation, allele frequencies, and genotype distributions of BDNF with PD onset. Our findings demonstrated that the BDNF Val66Met is a susceptibility factor of PD.

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in panic disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…It has been shown to decrease in panic disorder patients (Ströhle et al., 2010 ), with its reduction promoting development of panic disorder (Suliman et al., 2013 ). Polymorphisms reducing BDNF expression have also been linked to increased incidence of panic disorder (Xia et al., 2023 ), and treatments for panic disorder increase BDNF expression (Chen et al., 2017 ).…”