Association Analysis of Polymorphic Variants of the <i>BDNF</i> Gene in Athletes

• Main Authors: Marta Niewczas, Paweł Król, Wojciech Czarny, Wojciech Bajorek, Marian Rzepko, Sławomir Drozd, Artur Płonka, Monika Drozd, Robert Czaja, Wiesław Błach, Pavel Ruzbarsky, Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Monika Michałowska-Sawczyn, Anna Grzywacz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Genes
• Subjects: <i>BDNF</i>; genes; athletes; personality; rs10767664; rs2030323
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/9/1340

As <i>BDNF</i> is one of the group of neurotrophins highly influencing the processes happening in the brain, such as the processes of learning and personality creation, we decided to look closer at its genetic variations in association with the personality of a group of athletes and their controls. The study group consisted of 305 volunteers: martial arts athletes (<i>n</i> = 153; mean age = 24.06) and healthy non-athletes as controls (<i>n</i> = 152; mean age = 22.23). Thirty-eight percent of the martial arts group achieved the championship level. Both the martial arts and control subjects were examined using the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scales. The results of the NEO-FFI and STAI inventories were given as sten scores. The conversion of the raw score to the sten scale was performed according to Polish norms for adults. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood leukocytes and then genotyped using a PCR method for the following polymorphisms: <i>BDNF</i> rs10767664 and <i>BDNF</i> rs2030323. We observed statistical significance for both polymorphisms when comparing martial arts athletes with the control group in relation to the conscientiousness and extraversion scales. However, since few extant articles consider this association, our results still require further analysis, probably by considering a larger group.