Bueller et al. (2006) have found evidences that carriers of the methionine allele of the Val66Met BDNF polymorphism express lower gray matter volume in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex compared with carriers of the valine–valine allele, suggesting a pathway of modulation of BDNF secretion and intracellular functioning. In another study, Oberlander et al. (2008) found that infants of mothers with high levels of depression and anxiety during the third trimester of pregnancy had increased methylation of the Nr3c1 gene promoter in cord blood cells. Here, BDNF is linked to major depressive disorder.