Effect of Val66Met polymorphism in BDNF on attentional bias in an extroverted Chinese Han population

Abstract

Studies have indicated that a functional polymorphism (Val66Met) in a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene can influences human cognitive functions and mood disorders. In this study, we examined associations of BDNF Val66Met with attentional bias and personality in an unaffected population. The results showed that BDNF Val66Met was significantly associated with attentional disengagement for positive cueing words in extraverts. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the dosages of Met allele and attentional disengagement, however, we did not observe any significant influences of BDNF Val66Met on personality traits. These preliminary results indicate that the individual differences in attentional bias for positive words are partially underpinned by BDNF.