First of all, check BDNF, and planes and girls – then…
The results of numerous studies indicate the existence of a relationship between certain polymorphisms of the gene encoding the neurotrophic factor of the brain (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF), and disorders of cognitive function and mental disorders. Scientists at Stanford University, working under the leadership of Ahmad Salehi, have found that one of the common polymorphisms of this protein causes accelerated aging of the brain of professionals whose job is to manage complex mechanisms.
As a rule, as they age, the number of points received by pilots during the professional aptitude test during testing on a flight simulator gradually decreases. The results of a new study have shown that a certain version of the gene encoding the neurotrophic factor of the brain significantly accelerates this process, which is accompanied by a decrease in the size of important brain centers responsible for learning and memorization.
144 pilots aged 40-69 years took part in the work. In 38% of them, the studied polymorphism was detected in one or both copies of the BDNF gene. All participants passed three annual tests on the simulator. All pilots had a certain deterioration in test results over two years, but carriers of the studied polymorphism had a deterioration rate about 3 times higher than participants with a "good" version of the gene.
According to the researchers, the deterioration in test results was not so significant as to disqualify pilots, but it reflected a decrease in such indicators as reaction time, the ability to navigate and determine the location of the aircraft, as well as the ability to act in an emergency situation.
In some of the participants, the researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to estimate the size of the hippocampus, a brain structure that plays an important role in learning and memorization. Analysis of the results showed that after 65 years, the presence of an alternative version of the BDNF gene is associated with a more pronounced decrease in the volume of the hippocampus than in the control group. However, there was no correlation between the volume of the hippocampus and the result of testing on a flight simulator – probably because the hippocampus is far from the only region of the brain involved in aircraft control.
The researchers note that, most likely, the revealed pattern applies not only to pilots, but also to all people working with complex mechanisms.
The polymorphism in question is quite widespread in the human population. It occurs in about every third representative of the Asian race and every fourth European. Africans living in sub-Saharan Africa and their direct descendants, African Americans, were more fortunate: this snip is detected very rarely, in about 1 in 200 people.
A manifestation of polymorphism is the substitution of amino acids – methionine for valine – at position 66 of the BDNF precursor protein molecule. Such a seemingly insignificant modification has a significant impact on the functioning of a protein that has hardly changed since its appearance about 400 million years ago. For example, the normal version of BDNF is released by cells only when necessary, whereas the modified protein is secreted by cells continuously.
According to experts, modification of the BDNF protein affects many aspects of its functioning, but its role in the aging process of the brain is unclear. However, they believe that further study of the revealed pattern and the underlying mechanisms will allow us to develop methods to neutralize the negative impact of the studied polymorphism on the deterioration of human cognitive functions.
Article by Sanchez et al. BDNF polymorphism predicts the rate of decline in skilled task performance and hippocampal volume in healthy individuals is published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to ScienceNews: Gene makes some pilots get rusty faster.
26.10.2011