Several lines of evidence suggest that a functional variant of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF Val66Met) correlates with a number of eating disorders.
A common polymorphism of the BDNF genotype (Val66Met) has been associated with various forms of eatin</span>g disorders, alterations in body mass index (BMI) values and obesity in adult populations.
The Met-allele of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism has been associated with eating disorders, but the underlying mechanism of its contribution is not known.
Case-control studies also suggest a BDNF contribution in the aetiology of ED: we have previously reported a strong association between the Met66 variant within the BDNF gene, restricting AN (ANR) and minimum body mass index (minBMI) in a Spanish sample, and a positive association between the Val66Met and -270C/T BDNF SNPs and ED in six different European populations.