The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism affects amygdala activity in response to emotional stimuli: Evidence from a genetic imaging study

N = 37 healthy female subjects participated in an fMRI experiment with an affective startle reflex paradigm. Carriers of the 66Met variant showed stronger amygdala activation in the right hemisphere in response to emotional stimuli compared to neutral stimuli. The results of this study add to growing literature, showing that it is the 66Met, which is associated with higher trait anxiety.