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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

High Resolution Quantitative Synaptic Proteome Profiling of Mouse Brain Regions After Auditory Discrimination Learning
Published on: December 15, 2016
Serotonergic functioning as measured by the loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials is related to a
Georg Juckel1, Christiane Schumacher, Ina Giegling
1Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University, 44791 Bochum, Germany. Georg.Juckel@wkp-lwl.org
Objectives:
The serotonergic system plays an important pathophysiological role in various psychiatric disorders. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in the differentiation and survival of serotonergic neurons. A previous study showed that low serum BDNF levels were associated with strong loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) as a reflection of low central serotonergic activity. To evaluate the genetic basis of this relationship, we studied whether the LDAEP is correlated with genetic variants within the BDNF gene.
Methods:
Ninety five healthy subjects (41 males, 54 females) received electrophysiological recording of LDAEP and blood drawing for BDNF genotyping. Three BDNF markers (including the single nucleotide polymorphism rs6265(Val66Met)) were analyzed.
Results:
Haplotype analysis revealed stronger LDAEP values in carriers of the G(Val)-C-T [rs6265(Val66Met)-rs2030324-rs1491850] haplotype within the BDNF gene in comparison to other haplotype carriers. These findings were demonstrated for the LDAEP of both left and right primary auditory cortices as well as for the vertex electrode (Cz).
Conclusion:
Subjects with the BDNF haplotype G(Val)-C-T seem to be characterized by low serotonergic activity as well as possibly by low serum BDNF levels. These findings need replication in independent samples.
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