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The Department of Genetic Medicine at Weill Cornell leads a dynamic and innovative translational research program, advancing diverse fields such as Genetic Therapy and Personalized Medicine.
A genetic variant BDNF polymorphism alters extinction learning in both mouse and human.
| Publication Type | Academic Article |
| Authors | Soliman F, Glatt C, Bath K, Levita L, Jones R, Pattwell S, Jing D, Tottenham N, Amso D, Somerville L, Voss H, Glover G, Ballon D, Liston C, Teslovich T, Van Kempen T, Lee F, Casey B |
| Journal | Science |
| Volume | 327 |
| Issue | 5967 |
| Pagination | 863-6 |
| Date Published | 01/14/2010 |
| ISSN | 1095-9203 |
| Keywords | Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Conditioning, Classical, Extinction, Psychological, Fear, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide |
| Abstract | Mouse models are useful for studying genes involved in behavior, but whether they are relevant to human behavior is unclear. Here, we identified parallel phenotypes in mice and humans resulting from a common single-nucleotide polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene, which is involved in anxiety-related behavior. An inbred genetic knock-in mouse strain expressing the variant BDNF recapitulated the phenotypic effects of the human polymorphism. Both were impaired in extinguishing a conditioned fear response, which was paralleled by atypical frontoamygdala activity in humans. Thus, this variant BDNF allele may play a role in anxiety disorders showing impaired learning of cues that signal safety versus threat and in the efficacy of treatments that rely on extinction mechanisms, such as exposure therapy. |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.1181886 |
| PubMed ID | 20075215 |
| PubMed Central ID | PMC2829261 |