{"doi":"10.1016/j.brs.2020.04.012","title":"Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphism may influence the efficacy of tACS to modulate neural oscillations","abstract":"Plasticity of human motor cortex is modulated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A single nucleotide polymorphism at codon 66 (Val66Met) in the gene that codes for BDNF is associated with altered learning and memory [[1]Kleim J.A. et al.BDNF val66met polymorphism is associated with modified experience-dependent plasticity in human motor cortex.Nat Neurosci. 2006; 9: 735-737Crossref PubMed Scopus (422) Google Scholar]. Non-invasive brain stimulation increases excitability by recruiting BDNF-dependent neural plasticity [[2]Cheeran B. et al.A common polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) modulates human cortical plasticity and the response to rTMS.J Physiol. 2008; 586: 5717-5725Crossref PubMed Scopus (519) Google Scholar]. In a previous study, the presence of the Val66Met polymorphism predicted reduced efficacy for both transcranial current stimulation and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to modulate excitability in the corticospinal tract probed as the amplitude of the motor-evoked potential elicited by TMS pulses to primary motor cortex [[3]Antal A. et al.Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphisms shape cortical plasticity in humans.Brain Stimul. 2010; 3: 230-237Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (182) Google Scholar]. In animal models, the Val66Met polymorphism reduces the neural response to brain stimulation by decreasing NMDA-dependent long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission [[4]Fritsch B. et al.Direct current stimulation promotes BDNF-dependent synaptic plasticity: potential implications for motor learning.Neuron. 2010; 66: 198-204Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (899) Google Scholar,[5]Podda M.V. et al.Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation boosts synaptic plasticity and memory in mice via epigenetic regulation of Bdnf expression.Sci Rep. 2016; 6Crossref Scopus (124) Google Scholar]. Despite this growing literature on the potential gating of corticospinal excitability changes by the Val66Met polymorphism, the role of the Val66Met polymorphism in gating the neural response to brain stimulation at the level of brain network dynamics remains unknown. Alpha oscillations are the dominant brain rhythm in the awake resting state and modulate the neural response to sensory input [[6]Klimesch W. Alpha-band oscillations, attention, and controlled access to stored information.Trends Cognit Sci. 2012; 16: 606-617Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (1463) Google Scholar]. Given this role in shaping state-dependent neural excitability, targeting alpha oscillations with brain stimulation represents a promising strategy to modulate and enhance brain function. In particular, transcranial alternating current stimulation with stimulation waveforms in the alpha frequency (alpha-tACS) modulate alpha oscillations and were recently investigated as a treatment for major depressive disorder [7Alexander M.L. et al.Double-blind, randomized pilot clinical trial targeting alpha oscillations with transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).Transl Psychiatry. 2019; 9: 106Crossref PubMed Scopus (61) Google Scholar, 8Riddle J. et al.A case study of weekly tACS for the treatment of major depressive disorder.Brain Stimul. 2020; 13: 576-577Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (18) Google Scholar], schizophrenia [[9]Ahn S. et al.Targeting reduced neural oscillations in patients with schizophrenia by transcranial alternating current stimulation.Neuroimage. 2019; 186: 126-136Crossref PubMed Scopus (53) Google Scholar], and chronic pain [[10]Ahn S. et al.Identifying and engaging neuronal oscillations by transcranial alternating current stimulation in patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized, crossover, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot study.J Pain. 2019; 20: 277.e1-277.e11Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (37) Google Scholar]. Yet, the question remains","journal":"Brain stimulation","year":2020,"id":105395,"datarank":0.0,"base_score":0.0,"endowment":0.0,"self_citation_contribution":0.0,"citation_network_contribution":0.0,"self_endowment_contribution":0.0,"citer_contribution":0.0,"corpus_percentile":null,"corpus_rank":null,"citation_count":23,"citer_count":0,"citers_with_citation_signal":0,"citers_with_endowment":0,"datacite_reuse_total":0,"is_dataset":false,"is_dataset_confidence":0.9523,"is_data_producer":false,"deposit_databanks":null,"is_oa":true,"file_count":0,"downloads":0,"has_version_chain":false,"published_date":"2020-01-01","fair_score":null,"fair_percentile":null,"algorithm_id":"datarank_citation_only_1hop_v6","ranking_scope":"data_only","authors":[{"id":510080,"name":"Trevor McPherson","orcid":"0000-0003-0837-3293","position":1,"is_corresponding":false},{"id":510969,"name":"Alana K. 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