Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis, and BDNF plasma and serum levels have been associated with depression, Alzheimer's disease, and other psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. In a relatively large community sample, drawn from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), we examine whether BDNF plasma concentration is associated with the Val66Met functional polymorphism of the BDNF gene (n = 335) and with depression-related personality traits assessed with the NEO-PI-R (n = 391). Plasma concentration of BDNF was not associated with the Val66Met variant in either men or women. However, in men, but not in women, BDNF plasma level was associated with personality traits linked to depression. Contrary to the notion that low BDNF is associated with negative outcomes, we found lower plasma levels in men who score lower on depression and vulnerability to stress (two facets of Neuroticism) and higher on Conscientiousness and Extraversion. These findings challenge the prevailing hypothesis that lower peripheral levels of BDNF are a marker of depression.

Although the use of induction therapy has reduced the risk of acute rejection after heart transplantation, its use may be associated with other adverse outcomes. We aimed to examine the effect of no induction (NoInd), induction with basiliximab (BAS), or induction with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) on outcome after heart transplantation. We analyzed data from the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) registry for adult heart transplants performed between 2000 and 2013. The primary outcome was cumulative all‐cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was cause‐specific death. We identified 27 369 transplants whose recipients received NoInd (n = 15 688), ATG (n = 6830), or BAS (n = 4851). Over a median follow‐up of 1497 days, overall 30‐day mortality was 5% and 1‐year mortality was 11%. Survival after transplant was similar in patients treated with NoInd compared with ATG. The survival was improved using NoInd compared with BAS (log‐rank P = .040), adjustment HR = 1.11 (95% CI, 1.04‐1.19). Compared to NoInd, BAS was associated with higher risk of graft failure‐related deaths, HR = 1.27 (95% CI, 1.02‐1.58), and ATG was associated with higher risk of malignancy‐related deaths, HR = 1.18 (95% CI, 1.01‐1.39). Survival of patients who received NoInd was similar to ATG and better compared with BAS. Further, the use of ATG may be associated with increased malignancy‐related mortality, compared with NoInd.

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