POMC and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Genetic variants of the genes for BDNF, CREB1, GNAS and POMC are associated with MDD,42, 43 BPD,44 obesity,32, 45 blood pressure and hypertension.35, 46 The genes belong to the group of stress responsive genes, and their activity could be modulated through the activation of the HPA-axis.