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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.11.16.468778

Genetic polymorphisms in COMT and BDNF influence synchronization dynamics of human neuronal oscillations

Simola, J.·Siebenhühner, F.·Myrov, V.·Kantojärvi, K.·Paunio, T.·Palva, J. M.·Brattico, E.·Palva, S.
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Abstract

Neuronal oscillations, their inter-areal synchronization, and scale-free dynamics constitute fundamental mechanisms for cognition by regulating communication in neuronal networks. These oscillatory dynamics have large inter-individual variability that is partly heritable. However, the genetic underpinnings of oscillatory dynamics have remained poorly understood. We recorded resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG) from 82 healthy participants and investigated whether oscillation dynamics were influenced by genetic polymorphisms in Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met. Both COMT and BDNF polymorphisms influenced local oscillation amplitudes and their long-range temporal correlations (LRTCs), while only BDNF polymorphism affected the strength of large-scale synchronization. Our findings demonstrate that COMT and BDNF genetic polymorphisms contribute to inter-individual variability in local and large-scale synchronization dynamics of neuronal oscillations. Comparison of these results to computational modelling of near-critical synchronization dynamics further suggested that COMT and BDNF polymorphisms influenced local oscillations by modulating the excitation-inhibition balance according to the brain criticality framework.

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Simola, J., Siebenhühner, F., Myrov, V., Kantojärvi, K., Paunio, T., Palva, J. M., Brattico, E., Palva, S.. 2021-11-19. Genetic polymorphisms in COMT and BDNF influence synchronization dynamics of human neuronal oscillations. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.16.468778

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