Article

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is assumed to play a role in
mediating neuroplasticity after stroke. Carriers of the function-limiting
Val66Met (rs6265) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) may have a downregulation
in BDNF secretion, which may lead to a poorer prognosis after stroke compared to
noncarriers in motor learning and motor function recovery.
The present study
investigates whether this polymorphism may also affect the recovery of poststroke
aphasia (ie, language impairment). OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of the BDNF
Val66Met polymorphism on the recovery of poststroke aphasia. METHODS: We included
53 patients with poststroke aphasia, all participating in an inpatient
rehabilitation program with speech and language therapy. All patients were
genotyped for the Val66Met SNP and subdivided into carriers (at least one Met
allele) and noncarriers (no Met allele). Primary outcome measures included the
improvement over rehabilitation time on the Amsterdam-Nijmegen Everyday Language
Test (ANELT) and the Boston Naming Test (BNT). RESULTS: The outcome measures
showed a large variability in the improvement scores on both the ANELT and BNT.
There was no significant difference between noncarriers and carriers in the
primary outcome measures. CONCLUSION: This study investigated the effect of the
BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on clinical recovery of poststroke aphasia. In
contrast to earlier studies describing a reducing effect of this polymorphism on
motor function recovery after stroke, the present study does not support a
reduction in language recovery for carriers compared to noncarriers with
poststroke aphasia.

Langue : ANGLAIS