This article presents a review of BDNF as a neurobiological marker for schizophrenia and depression and for the efficacy of rTMS treatments of these mental diseases.
A variety of evidence suggests brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a candidate gene for schizophrenia, and several genetic studies have shown a significant association between the disease and certain SNPs within BDNF (specifically, Val66Met and C270T).
Both clinical and pharmacologic studies have implicated the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a susceptibility locus for the development of mental illness, including depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.