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Growth factors and neurotrophins in patients with stress-related exhaustion disorder

•Patients with stress-related exhaustion disorder had low plasma BDNF, VEGF and EGF.•These findings were present in both men and women.•Low BDNF and VEGF may be part of the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. Growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal gr...

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Published in:Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019-11, Vol.109, p.104415-104415, Article 104415
Main Authors: Sjörs Dahlman, Anna, Blennow, Kaj, Zetterberg, Henrik, Glise, Kristina, Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:•Patients with stress-related exhaustion disorder had low plasma BDNF, VEGF and EGF.•These findings were present in both men and women.•Low BDNF and VEGF may be part of the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. Growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), and neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotophic factor (BDNF), have attracted attention in studies of the biological effects of long-term stress exposure due to their neuroprotective roles. This study investigated whether circulating levels of EGF, VEGF and BDNF were altered in individuals with stress-related exhaustion disorder. Forty patients diagnosed with exhaustion disorder and 40 healthy subjects (50% women) provided fasting blood samples for analysis of EGF, VEGF, and BDNF in plasma. We found significantly lower levels of EGF, VEGF, and BDNF in patients with ED compared to healthy controls. This pattern was seen in both male and female patients. Given the important roles of BDNF and VEGF for brain plasticity and neurogenesis, decreased levels after long-term stress exposure could indicate increased risk of neuronal damage and cognitive impairments in this patient group.
ISSN:0306-4530
1873-3360
1873-3360
DOI:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104415