生物谷2009年11月1日讯：有人似乎天生就是个“驾驶高手”，而有的人却对开车怎么也没感觉。美国一项新研究发现，一种基因变异可能与人的驾驶水平有关联。
美国加利福尼亚大学欧文分校研究人员在新一期《大脑皮层》杂志上介绍说，他们让29名志愿者进行模拟驾驶技能测试。结果发现，其中7名带有某一特定基因变异的人要比其他人的得分低20％。4天后再进行测试，结果依然如此。
参与研究的史蒂文·克拉默说，有这种基因变异的人在驾驶过程中出错更多，而且随着时间的推移，他们当初所学的驾驶技能忘得也比其他人多。
据研究人员介绍，该基因变异后会降低人体内某种蛋白质的水平，而这种蛋白质能够帮助协调大脑细胞之间的通信联络，从而提高记忆力。
早前也有研究发现，有这种基因变异的人的日常认知、判断等行为能够调动的大脑活跃区域要小于常人。
不过，研究人员也指出，这种基因发生变异也不全是坏事儿。比如在患有帕金森氏症等退行性疾病的人群中，这一基因变异可以减缓脑力衰退。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Cerebral Cortex, doi:10.1093/cercor/bhp189
BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism Influences Motor System Function in the Human Brain
Stephanie A. McHughen1, Paul F. Rodriguez2, Jeffrey A. Kleim3, Erin D. Kleim3, Laura Marchal Crespo4, Vincent Procaccio5 and Steven C. Cramer1,6
1 Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA, 2 Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA, 3 Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Hospital, Gainesville, FL 32610-0244, USA, 4 Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA, 5 Department of Pediatrics (Human Genetics Division and Metabolism), University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA, 6 Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is important to brain functions such as plasticity and repair. A single nucleotide polymorphism for this growth factor, val66met, is common and associated with decreased activity-dependent BDNF release. The current study evaluated the effects of this polymorphism in relation to human brain motor system function, short-term plasticity, and learning. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning during right index finger movement (n = 24) identified activation in a broad sensorimotor network. However, subjects with the polymorphism showed smaller activation volume within several brain regions as compared with subjects without the polymorphism. Repeat fMRI after 25 min of right index finger training found that the 2 genotype groups modulated brain activation differently. In several brain regions, subjects with the polymorphism showed greater activation volume reduction, whereas subjects without the polymorphism showed greater activation volume expansion. On a driving-based motor learning task (independent cohort, n = 29), subjects with the polymorphism showed greater error during short-term learning and poorer retention over 4 days, relative to subjects without the polymorphism. The presence of this BDNF polymorphism is associated with differences in brain motor system function, altered short-term plasticity, and greater error in short-term motor learning. The broader implications of these findings are considered.
