Genetic polymorphisms for BDNF, COMT, and APOE do not affect gait or ankle motor control in chronic stroke: A preliminary cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Background: Motor deficits after stroke are a primary cause of long-term disability. The extent of functional recovery may be influenced by genetic polymorphisms.

Objectives: Determine the effect of genetic polymorphisms for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and apolipoprotein E (APOE) on walking speed, walking symmetry, and ankle motor control in individuals with chronic stroke.

Methods: 38 participants with chronic stroke were compared based upon genetic polymorphisms for BDNF (presence [MET group] or absence [VAL group] of a Met allele), COMT (presence [MET group] or absence [VAL group] of a Met allele), and APOE (presence [ε4+ group] of absence [ε4- group] of ε4 allele). Comfortable and maximal walking speed were measured with the 10-m walk test. Gait spatiotemporal symmetry was measured with the GAITRite electronic mat; symmetry ratios were calculated for step length, step time, swing time, and stance time. Ankle motor control was measured as the accuracy of performing an ankle tracking task.

Results: No significant differences were detected (p ≥ 0.11) between the BDNF, COMT, or APOE groups for any variables.

Conclusions: In these preliminary findings, genetic polymorphisms for BDNF, COMT, and APOE do not appear to affect walking speed, walking symmetry, or ankle motor performance in chronic stroke.

KEYWORDS:

• Genetic polymorphism
• BDNF
• APOE
• COMT
• function
• gait

Authors contribution

All authors have contributed substantially to the work and have read and approved the manuscript.

Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Research involving human participants and/or animals

Ethical approval: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University’s institutional review board and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Grant [R01HD075777].