Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a growth factor that is involved in developmental processes (Hyman et al. 1991) and has been implicated in depression (Kato and Serretti 2008), smoking behavior (Furberg et al. 2010), obesity (den Hoed et al. 2010), and body mass index (Shugart et al. 2009). BDNF contains a val→met substitution (val66-met; rs6265; G/A); the met allele produces a protein that is improperly secreted from neurons and has been reported to affect memory and hippocampal function (Egan et al. 2003). We examined the effects of BDNF val66-met genotype on subjective responses to acute amphetamine (Flanagin et al. 2006) and found that individuals homozygous for the val allele possessed increased feelings of arousal and energy when administered 10 mg amphetamine relative to the other genotype groups. Therefore, the BDNF val66-met genotype may also contribute to subjective responses to stimulant drugs.
