BDNF Val66Met polymorphism moderates the neuroprotective effects of physical activity in older adults.

Claire J. Cadwallader, David Luke Fischer, Anna M. VandeBunte, Coty Chen, Valentina E. Diaz, Shannon Y. Lee, Brandon Chan, Argentina Lario Lago, Julio C. Rojas, Joel H. Kramer, Emily W. Paolillo, Rowan Saloner, Kaitlin B. Casaletto

Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) is associated with increased release of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a mechanism that may underlie protective effects of PA on cognitive and brain aging. The Met allele of the BDNF Val66Met single‐nucleotide polymorphism reduces activity‐dependent BDNF release and is associated with increased phosphorylated tau (p‐tau181) in dementia populations. We sought to determine whether BDNF Val66Met influences the effects of PA on plasma p‐tau181 and cognition in older adults without dementia.

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Research summary

The paper investigates the interaction between a genetic polymorphism and physical activity in relation to cognitive aging, which is pertinent to understanding mechanisms that could influence longevity and age-related cognitive decline. However, while it contributes to the understanding of how genetic factors may moderate the benefits of physical activity, the findings are more incremental rather than groundbreaking, limiting its overall impact on the field of longevity research.

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