Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

There is evidence that major psychiatric discords such as schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) are associated with dysregulation of synaptic plasticity with downstream alterations of neurotrophins. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most widely distributed neurotrophin in the ce...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuroscience letters 2007-06, Vol.420 (1), p.45-48
Main Authors: Gama, Clarissa Severino, Andreazza, Ana Cristina, Kunz, Maurício, Berk, Michael, Belmonte-de-Abreu, Paulo Silva, Kapczinski, Flavio
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Antipsychotics
Biological and medical sciences
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar Disorder - blood
Bipolar Disorder - psychology
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - blood
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychoses
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - blood
Schizophrenic Psychology
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:There is evidence that major psychiatric discords such as schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) are associated with dysregulation of synaptic plasticity with downstream alterations of neurotrophins. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most widely distributed neurotrophin in the central nervous system (CNS), and performs many biological functions such as promoting the survival, differentiation, and plasticity of neurons. Variants in the BDNF gene increase the risk of SZ and bipolar disorder. Chronic administration of drugs used to treat SZ and BD, such as lithium, valproate, quetiapine, clozapine, and olanzapine, increases BDNF expression in rat brain. To examine serum BDNF, three groups of chronically medicated DSM-IV SZ patients, on treatment with clozapine ( n = 27), typical ( n = 14), and other atypical antipsychotics ( n = 19), 30 euthymic BD patients, and 26 healthy control had 5 ml blood samples collected by venipuncture. Serum BDNF levels were significantly higher in SZ patients ( p < 0.001) when compared to either controls or euthymic BD patients. Increased BDNF in SZ patients might be related to the course of illness or to treatment variables. Prospective studies are warranted.
ISSN:0304-3940
1872-7972
DOI:10.1016/j.neulet.2007.04.001