BDNF gene polymorphism and athletic performance in elite wrestlers

Hand Grip Strength (HGS) is considered one of the fundamental components of physical fitness and is widely used in both health assessments and athletic performance analyses. However, studies investigating the relationship between HGS and genetic variations remain quite limited. Based on this, the present study aimed to explore the potential association between the Brain- Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) gene rs6265 polymorphism and HGS performance in elite- level wrestlers. A total of 56 elite male wrestlers, aged between 18 and 35, participated in the study. The athletes' HGS was measured using a digital hand dynamometer following standard protocols. For genetic analyses, genomic DNA was extracted from oral epithelial cells using the Invitrogen DNA Isolation Kit, and genotyping was performed through real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) methods. The results indicated that wrestlers with the GG genotype had higher average HGS values compared to those with GA and AA genotypes. However, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, while the findings did not reveal a statistically significant association between the BDNF rs6265 polymorphism and HGS, the observation that individuals with the GG genotype exhibited higher average values is consistent with certain findings in the literature. This suggests a potential influence of this genetic variant on HGS and provides a meaningful foundation for future research with larger sample sizes.