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Reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum concentrations in acute schizophrenic patients increase during
Ah Hyun Lee1, Claudia Lange, Roland Ricken
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
Introduction:
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is not only involved in the development, differentiation, and survival of dopaminergic neurons; it also regulates fast neurotransmission and neuronal activity.
Methods:
In this study, 22 patients with acute schizophrenia and 22 age-matched healthy volunteers were recruited, and BDNF serum concentrations were measured in unmedicated patients and after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of medication.
Results:
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum levels of unmedicated schizophrenic patients (n = 22; 4.38 ± 2.1 ng/mL) were significantly decreased compared to the age-matched healthy volunteers (n = 44, df = 42, P = 0.029). In a mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of variance, a significant BDNF increase has been found during treatment (χ² = 2.91; df = 1; P < 0.0001). The percental change of BDNF (increase, 173% ± 110) correlated negatively with the percental change of PANSS score (decrease: 75% ± 22; n = 18; r = -0.554; P = 0.032).
Conclusions:
Our study replicates studies showing that unmedicated patients with schizophrenia have decreased serum BDNF levels compared with healthy controls. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor increase during treatment seems to parallel positive and negative symptom improvement.
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