Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
Electromagnetic Controlled Closed-Head Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Published on: September 28, 2022
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met and neuropsychological functioning after early childhood traumatic brain
Amery Treble-Barna1, Shari L Wade2, Valentina Pilipenko3
1Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA15213, USA.
Insights
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism impacts verbal fluency in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Met allele carriers with TBI showed poorer cognitive function compared to orthopedic injury (OI) peers.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children can lead to long-term cognitive deficits.
- The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism is associated with altered BDNF secretion and may influence brain plasticity.
- Understanding genetic contributions to TBI outcomes is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential impact of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on neuropsychological functioning in children with TBI versus orthopedic injury (OI).
- To examine longitudinal changes in cognitive performance related to BDNF genotype and injury type.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, longitudinal study of children aged 3-7 years with TBI (n=69) or OI (n=72).
- Neuropsychological assessments of attention, memory, and executive functions at multiple timepoints up to 7 years post-injury.
- Parental ratings of dysexecutive behaviors were collected throughout the study.
Main Results:
- A significant interaction between BDNF allele status and injury group was found for verbal fluency.
- Children with TBI carrying the Met allele showed poorer verbal fluency, fluid reasoning, and memory compared to Val/Val homozygotes.
- The opposite trend or no effect was observed in the orthopedic injury group.
Conclusions:
- The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism may confer risk for poorer neuropsychological functioning in children following early TBI.
- Findings suggest a differential genetic contribution to cognitive outcomes based on injury type.
- The Met allele's association with reduced BDNF secretion could underlie these observed differences.
Objective:
The present study examined the differential effect of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism on neuropsychological functioning in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) relative to orthopedic injury (OI).
Methods:
Participants were drawn from a prospective, longitudinal study of children who sustained a TBI (n = 69) or OI (n = 72) between 3 and 7 years of age. Children completed a battery of neuropsychological measures targeting attention, memory, and executive functions at four timepoints spanning the immediate post-acute period to 18 months post-injury. Children also completed a comparable age-appropriate battery of measures approximately 7 years post-injury. Parents rated children's dysexecutive behaviors at all timepoints.
Results:
Longitudinal mixed models revealed a significant allele status × injury group interaction with a medium effect size for verbal fluency. Cross-sectional models at 7 years post-injury revealed non-significant but medium effect sizes for the allele status x injury group interaction for fluid reasoning and immediate and delayed verbal memory. Post hoc stratified analyses revealed a consistent pattern of poorer neuropsychological functioning in Met carriers relative to Val/Val homozygotes in the TBI group, with small effect sizes; the opposite trend or no appreciable effect was observed in the OI group.
Conclusions:
The results suggest a differential effect of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on verbal fluency, and possibly fluid reasoning and immediate and delayed verbal memory, in children with early TBI relative to OI. The Met allele-associated with reduced activity-dependent secretion of BDNF-may confer risk for poorer neuropsychological functioning in children with TBI.
