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Interplay between stress, sleep, and BDNF in a high-risk sample of young adults

Nimmy Varghese1,2, David Buergin3,4, Cyril Boonmann3,5

  • 1Research Cluster, Molecular & Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Neurobiology, University of Basel, 4002, Basel, Switzerland.

Scientific Reports
|November 22, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Childhood adversities (CAs) impact well-being and sleep. Sleep disturbances mediate the link between CAs and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neuronal plasticity marker.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Children in institutional care face high risks of childhood adversities (CAs).
  • Long-term effects of CAs on brain plasticity and sleep remain unclear.
  • Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key marker for neuronal plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between stress, sleep, and BDNF in individuals with a history of institutional care.
  • To explore how childhood adversities (CAs) and sleep disturbances affect BDNF levels.
  • To understand the mediating role of sleep in the stress-BDNF connection.

Main Methods:

  • 131 participants with residential youth-care history completed questionnaires on CAs, well-being, and sleep quality.
  • Hair cortisol and serum BDNF concentrations were measured.
  • Bootstrap regression models were used for analysis.

Main Results:

  • No direct association was found between stress or sleep and BDNF levels.
  • Significant associations were observed between CAs, well-being, and sleep disturbances.
  • An association between CAs and BDNF was present in sleep-healthy individuals, but not in those with sleep disturbances.

Conclusions:

  • Sleep disturbance plays a role in the association between stress and BDNF.
  • Further research is needed in at-risk populations to clarify long-term effects on mental health and sleep.

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