pain

BDNF

Can This Gene Influence Your Susceptibility To Headaches And Migraines? (BDNF)

Written by Lewis Cuthbertson, PhD on August 17th, 2020

Variants of the BDNF gene may make you more susceptible to headaches and migraines. Read on to find out how these variants may be influencing your own headache and migraine risk, and some steps you can take to potentially reduce their impact!

What is the BDNF gene?

The BDNF gene encodes the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a crucial growth factor in the brain. BDNF stimulates the creation of new brain cells (neurogenesis), and their development and adaptation (synaptic plasticity) — vital processes for learning and memory [R, R].

BDNF is abundant in brain areas involved in [R, R]:

Changes in BDNF expression and blood levels have a significant health impact and correlate with a range of mental and metabolic disorders [R, R].

BDNF proteins also play a role in regulating pain response [R].

The BDNF gene encodes for BDNF protein. One function of BDNF is balancing pain response.

The link between BDNF, and Migraine and Headache Pain

Headaches and Migraines

Headaches are unpleasant pains in your head associated with aching and pressure, and may be caused by malfunctions of the nervous system. Persistent headaches are the primary symptom of migraines, alongside symptoms such as [R]:

Nausea
Sickness
Seeing flashing lights or spots
Light and sound sensitivity
Loss of sight

The factors which lead to headaches and migraines are complex. One factor is thought to be increased sensitivity to pain in the nervous system.

BDNF and Head Pain

BDNF variants

The BDNF variant rs6265 has been associated with variations in BDNF protein production and transport. This is thought to negatively impact the body’s ability to maintain a balanced response to pain. However, the mechanism behind this is still not clear [R, R].

Two recent meta-analyses investigated the association between BDNF gene variants and migraine risk. The first consisted of 4 studies with a total of 3183 participants. The second involved 3322 participants and over 5 studies.

The authors of the first meta study reported that carrying a ‘T’ allele at the rs6265 SNP was associated with an increased risk of migraine. This observation was confirmed by the second meta study [R, R].

An association between the ‘T’ allele at rs2049046 and increased migraine risk was also identified by the researchers. Several other studies have also confirmed this link, although the mechanism behind this is not yet fully clear [R, R].

Whilst there is evidence that these SNPs are linked to migraines, some studies have failed to find a link. Further studies are required to investigate this relationship, particularly in non-white populations [R, R, R].

BDNF variants may play a role in determining BDNF protein levels and activity, as well as susceptibility to headaches and migraines.

Your BDNF Results for Headaches and Migraines

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs6265
rs2049046

SNP Summary and Table

BDNF rs6265

‘TT’ = Associated with an increased risk of migraine [R, R, R]
‘CT’ = Associated with an increased risk of migraine [R, R, R]
‘CC’ = Associated with a normal risk of migraine

33% of people carry a copy of the risk ‘T’ allele. The ‘T’ allele is particularly prominent in East Asian populations, with 73% of individuals carrying at least one copy [R].

BDNF rs2049046

‘TT’ = Associated with an increased risk of migraine [R]
‘AT’ = Associated with an increased risk of migraine [R]
‘AA’ = Associated with a normal risk of migraine

81% of people carry at least one copy of the ‘T’ allele [R].

Recommendations

Lifestyle

Exercise

Getting plenty of regular exercise is one of the best ways to promote overall health. Among its many well-known benefits, exercise can directly promote healthy production and release of BDNF in the brain and throughout the body. Exercising regularly may reduce overall pain, and migraine frequency [R, R, R, R, R].

Stress

Stress is another key lifestyle factor that can significantly alter the amount of BDNF you produce [R, R, R, R].

Therefore, it would be a good idea to cultivate some stress-busting hobbies, such as yoga or meditation. Yoga has been associated with a reduction in the intensity, frequency, and duration of migraine attacks [R, R, R, R, R, R, R, R].

Supplements & Diet

Several supplements can also help counteract any risk alleles you carry by directly stimulating healthy BDNF production.

Butyrate & Resistant Starch

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, such as sodium butyrate and resistant starches, have been shown to boost healthy BDNF production in the brain [R, R, R].

They boost neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity — benefits which may be linked to healthy BDNF levels and reduced brain inflammation [R, R, R, R, R].

Butyrate can be obtained from dairy sources such as milk or butter, or it can be supplemented directly [R, R].

Alternatively, you could also try increasing your consumption of resistant starches, common dietary compounds that your gut flora naturally convert into active butyrate [R, R, R].

Foods that are rich in resistant starch include corn, rice, green bananas, and potatoes [R].

Fish Oil / Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

Another potential supplement for carriers of rs6265 risk alleles is fish oil. Fish oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which promote neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity by boosting BDNF levels [R, R, R, R].

Supplementing with fish oil / DHA has also been associated with reduced migraine attack durations [R].

Curcumin

Finally, curcumin supplementation has been associated with healthy BDNF levels in the brain of rodent models. Curcumin has also been associated with decreased frequency of migraine attacks. Also consider cooking with turmeric, as this contains curcumin [R, R].

Lewis Cuthbertson

PhD

Lewis completed his PhD in Molecular Microbiology at Northumbria University (UK).

Lewis spent several years researching the biodiversity of bacterial communities in the Arctic and Antarctic, whilst also performing research for a DNA sequencing service, where he was involved in several health based microbiome studies. This gave him an insight into how the highly diverse and invisible to the naked eye portion of human health, can potentially impact an individual’s quality of life, driving his desire to help others understand their own complex health needs through the most current scientific research.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More pain blogs

Can This Gene Worsen GERD Pain? (GNB3) Can This Gene Make You Prone to Chronic Pain (COMT)? The Heat Receptor’s Role in Pain Perception (TRPV1) Can This Gene Influence Your Sensitivity To Pain (COMT)? A Neurological Connection Between Stress and Migraines? (MEF2D) Can This Gene Influence Your Susceptibility To Headaches And Migraines? (BDNF) Is Excess Histamine Causing Your Migraines? (DAO) Can Too Much Nitric Oxide Trigger Migraines? (NOS2, NOS3) What Does the Cold Sensitivity Gene Have to Do With Migraines? (TRPM8) Serotonin Genetics in Migraine Development (HTR2C)

Content

What is the BDNF gene? The link between BDNF, and Migraine and Headache Pain BDNF and Head Pain Your BDNF Results for Headaches and Migraines

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