Reduced Levels of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Affect Body Weight, Brain Weight and Behavior

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Neurotrophins, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), are vital for brain development and postnatal function.
• BDNF influences neuronal plasticity, learning, memory, and body weight regulation.
• Studying BDNF function is challenging due to the lethality of homozygous BDNF deficiency in mice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the physiological and behavioral consequences of significantly reduced BDNF levels in the brain.
• To develop a viable mouse model with conditional and targeted BDNF deficiency for comprehensive study.

Main Methods:

• Generation of a novel mouse model by crossing heterozygous BDNF-deficient mice with mice lacking BDNF in neurofilament L-positive neurons.
• Assessment of viability, body weight, brain weight, and behavioral abnormalities in the resulting offspring.
• Conditional downregulation of BDNF expression in specific central nervous system neurons.

Main Results:

• The developed mouse model with strong BDNF reduction in the brain is viable.
• Animals exhibited significantly increased body weight and reduced brain weight.
• Observed behavioral abnormalities, particularly in locomotion patterns.

Conclusions:

• Conditional BDNF deficiency in specific neuronal populations leads to viable offspring with altered body and brain weights.
• Reduced BDNF levels are strongly associated with increased adiposity and neurological changes affecting behavior.
• This model provides a valuable tool for further research into BDNF's role in metabolic and neurological functions.