Electroconvulsive therapy improves clinical manifestations of treatment-resistant depression without changing serum BDNF levels

Abstract Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It may act through intracellular process modulation, but its exact mechanism is still unknown. Animal research supports a neurotrophic effect for ECT. We aimed to investigate the association between change...

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Published in:Psychiatry research 2015-06, Vol.227 (2), p.171-178
Main Authors: Rapinesi, Chiara, Kotzalidis, Georgios D, Curto, Martina, Serata, Daniele, Ferri, Vittoria R, Scatena, Paola, Carbonetti, Paolo, Napoletano, Flavia, Miele, Jessica, Scaccianoce, Sergio, Del Casale, Antonio, Nicoletti, Ferdinando, Angeletti, Gloria, Girardi, Paolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Bipolar depression
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), serum levels
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood
Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant - blood
Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant - therapy
Electroconvulsive Therapy
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
Female
Humans
Major depression
Male
Middle Aged
Psychiatry
Treatment Outcome
Treatment-resistant depression
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Summary:Abstract Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It may act through intracellular process modulation, but its exact mechanism is still unknown. Animal research supports a neurotrophic effect for ECT. We aimed to investigate the association between changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (sBDNF) levels and clinical improvement following ECT in patients with TRD. Twenty-one patients with TRD (2 men, 19 women; mean age, 63.5 years; S.D., 11.9) were assessed through the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Clinical Global Impressions scale, Severity (CGIs) before and after a complete ECT cycle. At the same time-points, patients underwent blood withdrawal for measuring sBDNF levels. ECT significantly reduced HDRS, BPRS, and CGIS scores, but not sBDNF levels. No significant correlation was found between sBDNF changes, and each of HDRS, BPRS, and CGIs score changes. sBDNF levels in TRD patients were low both at baseline and post-ECT. Our results do not support that improvements in TRD following ECT are mediated through increases in sBDNF levels.
ISSN:0165-1781
1872-7123
DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2015.04.009