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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2009

Open Access 01-12-2009 | Research article

Family-based association study of the BDNF, COMT and serotonin transporter genes and DSM-IV bipolar-I disorder in children

Authors: Eric Mick, Janet Wozniak, Timothy E Wilens, Joseph Biederman, Stephen V Faraone

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2009

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Abstract

Background

Over the past decade pediatric bipolar disorder has gained recognition as a potentially more severe and heritable form of the disorder. In this report we test for association with genes coding brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT).

Methods

Bipolar-I affected offspring triads (N = 173) were drawn from 522 individuals with 2 parents in 332 nuclear families recruited for genetic studies of pediatric psychopathology at the Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Psychopharmacology and Adult ADHD at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Results

We failed to identify an association with the val66 allele in BDNF (OR = 1.23, p = 0.36), the COMT-l allele (OR = 1.27, p = 0.1), or the HTTLPR short allele (OR = 0.87, p = 0.38).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that the markers examined thus far in COMT and SLC6A4 are not associated with pediatric bipolar disorder and that if the val66met marker in BDNF is associated with pediatric bipolar disorder the magnitude of the association is much smaller than first reported.
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Metadata
Title
Family-based association study of the BDNF, COMT and serotonin transporter genes and DSM-IV bipolar-I disorder in children
Authors
Eric Mick
Janet Wozniak
Timothy E Wilens
Joseph Biederman
Stephen V Faraone
Publication date
01-12-2009
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2009
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-9-2

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