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Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor May Contribute to Obesity BETHESDA, Md -- August 28, 2008 -- A brain chemical that plays a role in long-term memory also appears to be involved in regulating how much people eat and their likelihood of becoming obese, according to a study published in the August 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The study, by the National Institutes of Health provides the first strong evidence that brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is important for body weight in human beings. Researchers studied children and adults with WAGR syndrome, and found that some people with this syndrome lack a gene for BDNF -- resulting in low blood levels of the substance. The people in this subgroup also have unusually large appetites and a strong tendency towards obesity. "This is a promising new lead in the search for biological pathways that contribute to obesity," said Duane Alexander, MD, NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). "This finding may eventually lead to the development of new drugs to regulate appetite in people who have not had success with other treatments." Since all people with WAGR syndrome lack 2 specific genes that are grouped on chromosome 11, researchers examined chromosome 11 from 33 patients with WAGR syndrome to learn if the gene for BDNF was affected, explained Dr. Yanovski. A total of 19 patients (58%) had deletions of all or a major proportion of 1 copy of the gene for BDNF. By age 10, all of the 19 were obese and were reported to have a strong tendency to overeat. Moreover, all of the 19 had blood levels of BDNF that were roughly 50% lower than those of patients who had 2 working copies of the BDNF gene. The patients who had 2 working copies of the BDNF gene were no more likely to develop childhood onset obesity than the general population and did not report unusually high levels of overeating. Senior author Jack A. Yanovski, MD, NICHD's Unit on Growth and Obesity explained that BDNF is believed to work in combination with a variety of other substances that regulate appetite and body weight. He added that release of BDNF in the hypothalamus is believed to be indirectly triggered by leptin. Studies of the relationship between the 2, and of BDNF's action on tissues, may lead to the development of new drugs to treat obesity in some individuals. SOURCE: National Institute of Mental Health E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version