Cited by 1,151Treatment of Major DepressionTryptophan and brain disordersNerve injury and regeneration

Alterations of serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in depressed patients with or without antidepressants

Shimizu, Eiji, Hashimoto, Kenji, Okamura, Naoe, Koike, Kaori, Komatsu, Naoya, Kumakiri, Chikara, Nakazato, Michiko, Watanabe, Hiroyuki +3 more·2003·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background Because researchers have reported that antidepressants increase the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the rat hippocampus, we investigated whether serum BDNF levels may be used as a putative biological marker for major depressive disorders (MDD).Methods We measured serum BDNF in the following three groups: antidepressant-naive patients with MDD (n = 16), antidepressant-treated patients with MDD (n = 17), and normal control subjects (n = 50). Patients were evaluated using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Serum BDNF was assayed with the sandwich ELISA method.Results We found that serum BDNF was significantly lower in the antidepressant-naive group (mean, 17.6 ng/mL; SD, 9.6) than in the treated (mean, 30.6 ng/mL; SD, 12.3; p =.001) or in the control group (mean, 27.7 ng/mL; SD, 11.4; p =.002). There was a significant negative correlation (r = -.350, z = -2.003, p =.045) between serum BDNF and HAM-D scores in all patients. In a preliminary examination, reduced BDNF values of three drug-naive patients recovered to basal levels after antidepressant treatment.Conclusions Our study suggests that low BDNF levels may play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of MDD and that antidepressants may increase BDNF in depressed patients.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s0006-3223(03)00181-1

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Authors
Shimizu, E., Hashimoto, K., Okamura, N., Koike, K., Komatsu, N., Kumakiri, C., Nakazato, M., Watanabe, H., Shinoda, N., Okada, S.-I., & Iyo, M.
Affiliations
Chiba University (JP)
Corresponding author
Shimizu, Eiji
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2003-07
Volume
54
Issue
1
Pages
70-75
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1968213313
Cited by
1,151
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 53 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 54 · 2018: 50 · 2017: 43 · 2016: 66 · 2015: 64 · 2014: 80 · 2013: 78 · 2012: 65
FWCI
23.58
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
Keywords
brain-derived neurotrophic factor, serum BDNF, major depressive disorder, antidepressant treatment, depression biomarkers, depression pathophysiology, depression severity
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Antidepressive Agents, Major Depressive Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Major, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Biomarkers, Case-Control Studies, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

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