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Influence of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism on Emotion Flexibility

Nylocks, Karin Maria
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1479816492607729

Abstract Details

2016, MA, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is known to influence synaptic plasticity, and BDNF reduction might be associated with psychiatric risk. Extensive behavioral cross-species research suggests that a variation in the BDNF gene (Val66Met), which leads to a reduction in available BDNF, might influence behavioral rigidity. Emotion flexibility can be broadly defined as the capacity to both generate and modulate emotion responses, and individuals with decreased emotion flexibility might be more likely to develop emotion-linked psychological illness. Currently, there is a marked absence of research investigating the role of BDNF in clinically relevant emotion behaviors, such as emotion flexibility. This investigation aimed to explore the role of a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs6265, or Val66Met) in the BDNF gene in emotion response behaviors (including facial behavior and autonomic activity), measured by a naturalistic emotion response task. Specifically, the present study explored the ability to both generate and shift emotion responses according to environmental demands (emotion flexibility). In a sample of healthy adults (N=119), emotion responses were monitored and recorded in real-time on multiple dimensions (emotional facial behaviors, self-reported emotional experience, and cardiovascular activity), in response to emotionally evocative film clips of negative then positive valence. These data suggest that individuals with at least one copy of the Met allele of Val66Met demonstrate decreased parasympathetic response, and less ability to up-regulate or generate positive emotion when the context changed from negative to explicitly positive, relative to Val homozygotes. Findings from the present study suggest an association between presence of the Met allele at the Val66Met polymorphism and greater emotion inflexibility, a pattern of responding that might afford greater risk for psychiatric illness.
Karin Coifman, PhD (Advisor)
48 p.
Psychology
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, emotion flexibility, synaptic plasticity, film stimuli

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Nylocks, K. M. (2016). Influence of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism on Emotion Flexibility [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1479816492607729

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Nylocks, Karin. Influence of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism on Emotion Flexibility. 2016. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1479816492607729.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Nylocks, Karin. "Influence of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism on Emotion Flexibility." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1479816492607729

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.