BDNF and Mental deterioration: This is consistent with previous findings in the elderly cohort suggesting that this allelic combination may improve cognitive performance or slow the rate of cognitive decay over individuals possessing the proposed risk variants which may predict risk for more rapid cognitive decline over time, as demonstrated in BDNF rs6265 (Met66-A) carriers relative to rs6265 (Val66-G) homozygotes in Alzheimer's disease [84].