No major clinical impact of Val66Met BDNF gene polymorphism on temporal lobe epilepsy

To report the frequencies of Val66Met polymorphism in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) compared to normal controls. We also investigated whether Val66Met promoted differences in major clinical variables of TLE.

A case-control study comparing the frequencies of Val66Met polymorphism in 101 Caucasian TLE patients and in 104 Caucasian normal matching controls. In the second step, we evaluated the patient group in terms of the major clinical and electrographic variables related to the epileptogenic process.

The frequency of Val66Met polymorphism did not differ between epileptic patients and normal controls. Moreover, the Val66Met polymorphisms did not influence age of epilepsy onset, duration of epilepsy, control of seizures, or extension of the irritative zone. Also, the groups did not differ in terms of family history of epilepsy and presence of aura.

In spite of abundant evidence that Val66Met BDNF polymorphism has an impact on several different neurological or psychiatric disorders, we conclude that a major clinical impact of Val66Met polymorphism as a disease modifier in temporal lobe epilepsy is probably unlikely.