The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism moderates the effect of cognitive reserve on 36‐month cognitive change in healthy older adults

Abstract

IntroductionCognitive reserve (CR) and BDNF Val66Met are independently associated with the rate of cognitive decline in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. This study was designed to investigate the interactive effects of these variables on 36-month cognitive change in cognitively intact older adults.MethodsData for this investigation were obtained from 445 community-residing participants of the Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project, who underwent genetic screening and annual assessment of neuropsychological, health, and psychosocial function.ResultsOur main result was that BDNF Val66Met moderated the relationship between baseline CR and change in executive function performance, in that CR-related differences in function decreased across the follow-up period in BDNF Val homozygotes, but became more pronounced in BDNF Met carriers. Similar effects were not observed within the other memory- and language-related cognitive domains.DiscussionInheritance of BDNF Met may be associated with a detrimental influence on the relationship between CR and cognitive change in cognitively intact older adults, but this effect may be restricted to the executive function domain.

<p>The Role of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder: From the Bench-Top to the Bedside</p>

“…In AD pathology, high BDNF expression has shown to enhance CR. 107 There is need to translate this concept into HAND research and explore the impact of social interactions, environmental enrichment through education and physical activity on BDNF and cognition in PLWH. Knowing that learning and novelty stimulate neural plasticity, 108 there is an opportunity to also explore interventional cognitive neurorehabilitation tools such as complex gameplay in PLWH and how they modulate BDNF levels.…”

BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism and Gamma Band Disruption in Resting State Brain Functional Connectivity: A Magnetoencephalography Study in Cognitively Intact Older Females

“…In line with this result, we would like to underscore the positive correlation between the lSFo-lLSOcc FC and education. Education is a well-established proxy of cognitive reserve (CR) (Stern, 2012 ), and a recent study in CI older adults across a 36-month follow-up period concluded that CR-related differences in executive function decreased in both Val/Val and Val/Met participants, but became more notable in Met carriers (Ward et al, 2017 ). In our study, both groups showed a similar rho value when the correlation between lSFo-lLSOcc FC and education was performed for each group separately (Figure 2 ).…”

The BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism Modulates Resilience of Neurological Functioning to Brain Ageing and Dementia: A Narrative Review

“…However, some of these effects may be direct or indirect and potentially too subtle to be meaningful for future translational studies. In our studies, the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism may be influencing how an individual is accessing the benefits of a lifetime of exposure to cognitively stimulating experiences to build cognitive reserve and other areas of cognitive capacity that may help reduce susceptibility to dementia [114,115,119]. In this regard, it may be vital that people with the vulnerable genotype are engaged in mentally stimulating activities serving as a bulwark against dementia.…”

“…This cross-sectional investigation also reported that a positive association of cognitive reserve and executive functioning was present in BDNF Val homozygotes but not in Met carriers. In a subsequent 36-month longitudinal investigation of this same cohort, cognitive reserve was associated with the rate of change in executive functioning only when the interaction with BDNF Val66Met was considered, with the low-cognitive-reserve/BDNF Met carrier participants the sole group to show the beginnings of cognitive decline [115].…”