Genetic Influences on Neuroplasticity and Mood Disorders
Summary
Neuroplasticity—the capacity of the brain to reorganise its structure and function in response to experience—is increasingly recognised as a key determinant of both vulnerability to mood disorders and response to treatment. Genetic variation modulates neurotrophic signalling, synaptic connectivity and neuronal resilience, thereby shaping individual trajectories of illness and recovery. Variants in genes encoding neurotrophins, their receptors and downstream signalling kinases contribute to differences in synaptic remodelling under stress, influencing susceptibility to depression, bipolar disorder and treatment‐resistant phenotypes. Converging evidence highlights the interplay between genetic predisposition and environmental exposures in driving long‐term alterations in cortical architecture, limbic circuitry and functional connectivity. A deeper understanding of these molecular mechanisms offers the prospect of stratified interventions that target the genetic underpinnings of impaired plasticity, thereby improving therapeutic outcomes and informing preventive strategies.
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Genetic Influences on Neuroplasticity and Mood Disorders publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in genetic influences on neuroplasticity and mood disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Neuroplasticity: The ability of neural circuits to adapt structurally and functionally in response to experience or injury.
Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP): A common genetic variant involving a single base-pair change in the DNA sequence.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF): A neurotrophin essential for neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity and learning.
Val66Met polymorphism: A functional SNP in the BDNF gene that alters activity-dependent secretion of BDNF protein.
Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB): The high-affinity receptor for BDNF, mediating its neurotrophic effects.
5-HT transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR): A regulatory variant in the promoter of the serotonin transporter gene affecting serotonin reuptake and mood regulation.
References
- The Impact of BDNF, NTRK2, NGFR, CREB1, GSK3B, AKT, MAPK1, MTOR, PTEN, ARC, and SYN1 Genetic Polymorphisms in Antidepressant Treatment Response Phenotypes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
- Association Between BDNF Gene Variant Rs6265 and the Severity of Depression in Antidepressant Treatment-Free Depressed Patients. Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020).
- The influence of 5-HTTLPR and Val66Met polymorphisms on cortical thickness and volume in limbic and paralimbic regions in depression: a preliminary study. BMC Psychiatry (2016).
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