Changes in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Following Treatment with Mifepristone in Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

Objective: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is stress-responsive and has been implicated in a number of disparate neuropsychiatric disorders. Glucocorticoid antagonists have been shown to have beneficial effects on mood and cognitive function in bipolar disorder but not in schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to investigate BDNF levels in patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia before and after treatment with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone. Methods: Peripheral BDNF levels were measured in patients with bipolar disorder (n=20), schizophrenia (n=20) and 14 matched healthy controls following 7 days of adjunctive mifepristone (600 mg day−1) treatment in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design study. Results: Baseline BDNF values were similar in both patient groups and in healthy controls. Following treatment with mifepristone, cortisol levels were significantly increased and BDNF levels decreased in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A significant correlation existed between change in cortisol level and change in BDNF levels following mifepristone treatment in schizophrenia, but not in bipolar disorder. Conclusion: Differing BDNF responses to increasing cortisol levels between patients with schizophrenia and with bipolar disorder may reflect underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.

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Increased oxidative stress as a mechanism for decreased BDNF levels in acute manic episodes

Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1590/s1516-44462008000300011 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 243-245 ◽

Cited By ~ 97

Author(s):

Flávio Kapczinski ◽

Benício N Frey ◽

Ana C Andreazza ◽

Márcia Kauer-Sant'Anna ◽

Ângelo B M Cunha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Thiobarbituric Acid ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Oxidative Status ◽

Control Group ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ◽

Low Levels

OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: There is a growing amount of data indicating that alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and increased oxidative stress may play a role in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. In light of recent evidence demonstrating that brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are decreased in situations of increased oxidative stress, we have examined the correlation between serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, a measure of lipid peroxidation, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in bipolar disorder patients during acute mania and in healthy controls. RESULTS: Serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels were negatively correlated in bipolar disorder patients (r = -0.56; p = 0.001), whereas no significant correlation was observed in the control group.. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that alterations in oxidative status may be mechanistically associated with abnormal low levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor observed in individuals with bipolar disorder.

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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in newly diagnosed patients with bipolar disorder, their unaffected first-degree relatives and healthy controls

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Nanna Aagaard Petersen ◽

Marc Østergaard Nielsen ◽

Klara Coello ◽

Sharleny Stanislaus ◽

Sigurd Melbye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Newly Diagnosed ◽

First Degree Relatives ◽

Duration Of Illness ◽

And Gender ◽

Medication Status

Background Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which facilitates neuroplasticity and synaptogenesis, may be decreased in bipolar disorder, but has not been systematically investigated in people with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder and unaffected first-degree relatives. Aims To compare BDNF levels in patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder, their unaffected first-degree relatives and healthy controls. Method The study investigated plasma BDNF levels in patients (n = 371) with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder, their unaffected first-degree relatives (n = 98) and healthy controls (n = 200) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We further investigated associations between BDNF levels and illness-related variables and medication status. Results BDNF levels were found to be 22.0% (95% CI 1.107–1.343) higher in patients with bipolar disorder compared with healthy controls (P < 0.001) and 15.6% higher in unaffected first-degree relatives compared with healthy controls (95% CI 1.007–1.327, P = 0.04), when adjusting for age and gender. Further, BDNF levels were positively associated with duration of illness at a trend level (P = 0.05), age (P = 0.001) and use of anti-epileptic medication (P = 0.05). Conclusions These findings suggest that BDNF levels are not decreased in the early stages of bipolar disorder and in unaffected first-degree relatives contrasting with prior findings during later stages of the illness.

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Frontotemporal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Decreases Serum Mature Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Schizophrenia

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11050662 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 662

Author(s):

Ondine Adam ◽

Marion Psomiades ◽

Romain Rey ◽

Nathalie Mandairon ◽

Marie-Francoise Suaud-Chagny ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Direct Current ◽

Neural Plasticity ◽

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Temporoparietal Junction ◽

Auditory Verbal Hallucinations ◽

Direct Current Stimulation ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Before And After

Although transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) shows promise as a treatment for auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia, mechanisms through which tDCS may induce beneficial effects remain unclear. Evidence points to the involvement of neuronal plasticity mechanisms that are underpinned, amongst others, by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in its two main forms: pro and mature peptides. Here, we aimed to investigate whether tDCS modulates neural plasticity by measuring the acute effects of tDCS on peripheral mature BDNF levels in patients with schizophrenia. Blood samples were collected in 24 patients with schizophrenia before and after they received a single session of either active (20 min, 2 mA, n = 13) or sham (n = 11) frontotemporal tDCS with the anode over the left prefrontal cortex and the cathode over the left temporoparietal junction. We compared the tDCS-induced changes in serum mature BDNF (mBDNF) levels adjusted for baseline values between the two groups. The results showed that active tDCS was associated with a significantly larger decrease in mBDNF levels (mean −20% ± standard deviation 14) than sham tDCS (−8% ± 21) (F = 5.387; p = 0.030; η2 = 0.205). Thus, mature BDNF may be involved in the beneficial effects of frontotemporal tDCS observed in patients with schizophrenia.

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Stressful life events and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene in bipolar disorder

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2010.01.071 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 125 (1-3) ◽

pp. 345-349 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Georgina M. Hosang ◽

Rudolf Uher ◽

Robert Keers ◽

Sarah Cohen-Woods ◽

Ian Craig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Life Events ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Stressful Life Events ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Stressful Life ◽

Factor Gene ◽

The Brain

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Serum Renalase Levels Are Predicted by Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Associated with Cardiovascular Events and Mortality after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm7110437 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (11) ◽

pp. 437 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

I-Te Lee ◽

Wayne Sheu

Keyword(s):

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Strong Predictor ◽

Coronary Intervention ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Percutaneous Coronary ◽

Before And After ◽

Artery Disease ◽

Serum Bdnf

Circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) predicts survival rate in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We examined the relationship between BDNF and renalase before and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the role of renalase in patients with CAD. Serum BDNF and renalase levels were determined using blood samples collected before and after PCI. Incident myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality were followed up longitudinally. A total of 152 patients completed the assessment. BDNF levels were not significantly changed after PCI compared to baseline levels (24.7 ± 11.0 vs. 23.5 ± 8.3 ng/mL, p = 0.175), although renalase levels were significantly reduced (47.5 ± 17.3 vs. 35.9 ± 11.3 ng/mL, p < 0.001). BDNF level before PCI was an independent predictor of reduction in renalase (95% confidence interval (CI): −1.371 to −0.319). During a median 4.1 years of follow-up, patients with serum renalase levels of ≥35 ng/mL had a higher risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death than those with renalase of <35 ng/mL (hazard ratio = 5.636, 95% CI: 1.444–21.998). In conclusion, our results show that serum BDNF levels before PCI were inversely correlated with the percentage change in renalase levels after PCI. Nevertheless, post-PCI renalase level was a strong predictor for myocardial infarction, stroke, and death.

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Circulating Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Antioxidant Enzymes Activities, and Mitochondrial DNA in Bipolar Disorder: An Exploratory Report

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2020.514658 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Dong Wang ◽

Hong Li ◽

Xiangdong Du ◽

Jun Zhou ◽

Liu Yuan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bipolar Disorder ◽

Mitochondrial Dna ◽

Antioxidant Enzymes ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Enzymes Activities ◽

Antioxidant Enzymes Activities ◽

Exploratory Report

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Interleukin-10 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor responses to the Mat Pilates training in women with multiple sclerosis

Scientia Medica ◽

10.15448/1980-6108.2018.4.31668 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 31668

Author(s):

Elham Eftekhari ◽

Masoud Etemadifar

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Training Group ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Interleukin 10 ◽

Analysis Of Covariance ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Before And After

AIMS: To determine the effect of Mat Pilates on serum levels of interleukin-10 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in women with multiple sclerosis.METHODS: Thirty women with multiple sclerosis with mild to moderate disability were recruited and randomly divided into equal Pilates training and Control groups. Patients in the training group accomplished a Pilates program three times a week for eight weeks. The Control group maintained their routine lifestyle. The serum level of interleukin-10 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor were measured before and after the protocol. The differences between groups were assessed by using analysis of covariance test to compare post-tests by considering covariate pre-tests (assuming a p-value <0.05 as significant).RESULTS: There were no significant changes in interleukin-10 (13.09±5.36 ng/ml in the Pilates training group compared to 13.21±4.76 ng/ml in the Control group, p= 0.81), whereas an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor was observed after eight-week Pilates training (11550.14±2619.60 ng/ml in the Pilates training group compared to 9664.35±3161.66 ng/ml in the Control group, p= 0.03).CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the intensity and duration of this protocol was not related to significant changes in interleukin-10, but was followed by an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor in these patients. Based on this finding, physical activity according to the individual’s ability is recommended for patients with multiple sclerosis, in parallel with drug therapy.

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