TY - JOUR
T1 - From BDNF to reading
T2 - Neural activation and phonological processing as multiple mediators
AU - Mascheretti, Sara
AU - Perdue, Meaghan V.
AU - Feng, Bei
AU - Andreola, Chiara
AU - Dionne, Ginette
AU - Jasińska, Kaja K.
AU - Pugh, Kenneth R.
AU - Grigorenko, Elena L.
AU - Landi, Nicole
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank all children who took part in this study. Sara Mascheretti was supported by the Italian Ministry of Health Grant RC2019 and RC2020 . Meaghan Perdue was supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) IGERT grant DGE-1144399 and NSF GRFP DGE-1747453 . fMRI data collection and analysis, and collection of saliva were supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 HD48830 and R03 HD053409 . Genotyping and genetic data processing were supported by NIH P50 HD052120.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier B.V.
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/1/1
Y1 - 2021/1/1
N2 - The BDNF gene is a prominent promoter of neuronal development, maturation and plasticity. Its Val66Met polymorphism affects brain morphology and function within several areas and is associated with several cognitive functions and neurodevelopmental disorder susceptibility. Recently, it has been associated with reading, reading-related traits and altered neural activation in reading–related brain regions. However, it remains unknown if the intermediate phenotypes (IPs, such as brain activation and phonological skills) mediate the pathway from gene to reading or reading disability. By conducting a serial multiple mediation model in a sample of 94 children (age 5–13), our findings revealed no direct effects of genotype on reading. Instead, we found that genotype is associated with brain activation in reading-related and more domain general regions which in turn is associated with phonological processing which is associated with reading. These findings suggest that the BDNF-Val66Met polymorphism is related to reading via phonological processing and functional activation. These results support brain imaging data and neurocognitive traits as viable IPs for complex behaviors.
AB - The BDNF gene is a prominent promoter of neuronal development, maturation and plasticity. Its Val66Met polymorphism affects brain morphology and function within several areas and is associated with several cognitive functions and neurodevelopmental disorder susceptibility. Recently, it has been associated with reading, reading-related traits and altered neural activation in reading–related brain regions. However, it remains unknown if the intermediate phenotypes (IPs, such as brain activation and phonological skills) mediate the pathway from gene to reading or reading disability. By conducting a serial multiple mediation model in a sample of 94 children (age 5–13), our findings revealed no direct effects of genotype on reading. Instead, we found that genotype is associated with brain activation in reading-related and more domain general regions which in turn is associated with phonological processing which is associated with reading. These findings suggest that the BDNF-Val66Met polymorphism is related to reading via phonological processing and functional activation. These results support brain imaging data and neurocognitive traits as viable IPs for complex behaviors.
KW - BDNF-ValMet polymorphism
KW - Compensatory mechanisms
KW - Intermediate phenotypes
KW - Reading
KW - Serial multiple mediation model
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U2 - 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112859
DO - 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112859
M3 - Article
C2 - 32810467
AN - SCOPUS:85090148841
VL - 396
JO - Behavioural Brain Research
JF - Behavioural Brain Research
SN - 0166-4328
M1 - 112859
ER -