Differential BDNF methylation in combat exposed veterans and the association with exercise
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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene is associated with increased risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and plays a role in neuroplasticity, cognition and memory. BDNF has strong potential as a therapeutic target as studies have shown that antidepressants, electroconvulsive treatment and exercise modulate BDNF expression and methylation. In this study we examined the role of BDNF methylation and expression in PTSD and the implications of exercise in mediating these effects. BDNF DNA methylation and gene expression analysis was performed in a sample of 96 male Vietnam veterans. Cases were combat-exposed veterans with current PTSD (n = 48) and controls were combat exposed veterans with no past or current PTSD diagnosis (n = 48). No association between BDNF mRNA and PTSD was identified. PTSD was associated with decreased methylation at three BDNF CpG sites (cg01546433 P = 0.004835; cg24650785 P = 0.000259 and cg002298481 P = 0.000672). Differential BDNF methylation was associated with exercise, with active exercise associated with lower methylation levels at three CpG sites (cg04481212 P = 0.005; cg01546433 P = 0.025 and cg00298481 P = 0.035). Given that exercise mediates BDNF action on cognitive plasticity, exercise may be a non-invasive, drug free option in the treatment of PTSD.
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Differential BDNF methylation is associated with exercise in combat-exposed veterans with and without current PTSD.
“A first epigenetic study in this field suggests differential BDNF methylation to be associated with exercise in combat-exposed veterans with and without current PTSD (Voisey et al., 2019).”
From The applied implications of epigenetics in anxiety, affective and stress-related disorders - A review and synthesis on psychosocial stress, psychotherapy and prevention (2020) · cites this paper as Voisey et al., 2019
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- Authors
- Voisey, J., Lawford, B., Bruenig, D., Harvey, W., Morris, C. P., Young, R. M., & Mehta, D.
- Affiliations
- Queensland University of Technology (AU)
- Greenslopes Private Hospital (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Voisey, Joanne
- Venue
- Gene
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-05
- Volume
- 698
- Pages
- 107-112
- ISSN
- 0378-1119 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2920634628
- Cited by
- 37
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 5.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Gene (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
- Queensland University of Technology
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Keywords
- brain-derived neurotrophic factor, post-traumatic stress disorder, combat veterans, physical activity, CpG sites, gene expression, epigenetics, cognitive plasticity, Vietnam War veterans
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Veterans, Exercise, CpG Islands, DNA Methylation, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Epigenesis, Genetic, Vietnam Conflict
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