A panel of medaka isogenic lines suggests individual, seasonal, and sexual genetic variation of bdnf gene expression in the brain
Introduction: Once recognized only in humans, variance in the cognitive phenotype is now acknowledged in a range of vertebrate species. However, our understanding of its underlying causes is still incomplete. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an essential protein for brain functioning and plays a key role in cognitive processes such as learning and memory, including interindividual variation. Environmental factors influence BDNF abundance in the brain, and so do genetic polymorphisms in humans and mice. Methods: gene expression in the brain. Results: expression overall, although some lines displayed sex differences greater than expected by chance. Discussion: expression variability.
Authors
- Cristiano Bertolucci (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0252-3107)
- Felix Loosli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9201-7277)
- Nicholas S. Foulkes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1794-9891)
- Daniela Vallone (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4492-7751)
- Christina Vasilopoulou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5351-0130)
- Saul Pierotti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5942-0793)
- Eleonora Rovegno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-9336-6352)
- Ewan Birney
- Tyrone Lucon-Xiccato
- Joachim Wittbrodt
- Tomas Fitzgerald
Institutions
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE)
- European Bioinformatics Institute (GB)
- University of Ferrara (IT)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- Heidelberg University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
- Published
- 2026-04-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2026.1681619
- Primary Topic
- Nerve injury and regeneration
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00