In the patient group, BDNF was positively associated with IL-2 and IL-8 levels, while lower BDNF levels were correlated with ED measured by VFT and WCST tests.
These results suggested that the BDNF gene may significantly influence executive dysfunction, including inhibition tasks, among patients with mild-stage AD.
A second "indirect" pathway considers the broad neurotrophic effects of BDNF on key monoamine systems that mediate mood dysregulation, impulsivity, and executive dysfunction as well as feeding behavior per se.
Regarding the functional roles of neurotrophin polymorphisms as they relate to executive dysfunction, the NGF gene rs6330 might influence the inhibition task in Japanese patients with early-stage AD or A-MCI.