Association study between reward dependence and a functional BDNF polymorphism in adult women offspring of alcohol-dependent probands.

: Thirty-five healthy adult women offspring of alcohol-dependent probands (AWOA) were compared with 63 healthy controls to test whether personality dimensions on the Temperament and Character Inventory questionnaire were associated with the brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism in offspring. We found a significantly lower reward dependence score in AWOA compared with the controls. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism may be involved in this difference as the lower reward dependence score was found only in AWOA carrying the Val allele.