Converging Evidence Points to BDNF as Biomarker of Depressive Symptoms in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders

doi:10.3390/brainsci12121666

. 2022 Dec 4;12(12):1666.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci12121666.

Converging Evidence Points to BDNF as Biomarker of Depressive Symptoms in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders

Mirko Manchia^{1

2

3}, Ulker Isayeva^{1

4}, Roberto Collu⁴, Diego Primavera¹, Luca Deriu^{1

2}, Edoardo Caboni^{1

2}, Maria Novella Iaselli^{1

2}, Davide Sundas^{1

2}, Massimo Tusconi¹, Federica Pinna^{1

2}, Pasquale Paribello^{1

2}, Maria Scherma⁴, Claudia Pisanu⁴, Anna Meloni⁴, Clement C Zai^{5

6}, Donatella Congiu⁴, Alessio Squassina⁴, Walter Fratta^{4

7}, Paola Fadda^{4

7}, Bernardo Carpiniello^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
² Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
³ Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
⁴ Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy.
⁵ Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Science, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada.
⁷ Centre of Excellence "Neurobiology of Dependence", University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.

PMID: 36552127
PMCID: PMC9775399
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121666

Converging Evidence Points to BDNF as Biomarker of Depressive Symptoms in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders

Mirko Manchia et al. Brain Sci. 2022.

. 2022 Dec 4;12(12):1666.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci12121666.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
² Unit of Clinical Psychiatry, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
³ Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
⁴ Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy.
⁵ Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Science, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada.
⁷ Centre of Excellence "Neurobiology of Dependence", University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.

PMID: 36552127
PMCID: PMC9775399
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121666

Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key modulator of neuroplasticity and has an important role in determining the susceptibility to severe psychiatric disorder with a significant neurodevelopmental component such as major psychoses. Indeed, a potential association between BDNF serum levels and schizophrenia (SCZ) and schizoaffective disorder (SAD) has been tested in diverse studies and a considerable amount of them found reduced BDNF levels in these disorders. Here, we aimed at testing the association of BDNF serum levels with several demographic, clinical, and psychometric measures in 105 patients with SCZ and SAD, assessing the moderating effect of genetic variants within the BDNF gene. We also verified whether peripheral BDNF levels differed between patients with SCZ and SAD. Our findings revealed that BDNF serum levels are significantly lower in patients affected by SCZ and SAD presenting more severe depressive symptomatology. This finding awaits replication in future independent studies and points to BDNF as a possible prognostic indicator in major psychoses.

Keywords: BDNF; biomarker; depression; genetics; schizoaffective disorder; schizophrenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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References

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[1] BINDER D.K., SCHARFMAN H.E. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Growth Factors. 2004;22:123–131. doi: 10.1080/08977190410001723308. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] BINDER D.K., SCHARFMAN H.E. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Growth Factors. 2004;22:123–131. doi: 10.1080/08977190410001723308. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Duman R.S., Monteggia L.M. A Neurotrophic Model for Stress-Related Mood Disorders. Biol. Psychiatry. 2006;59:1116–1127. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.02.013. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Duman R.S., Monteggia L.M. A Neurotrophic Model for Stress-Related Mood Disorders. Biol. Psychiatry. 2006;59:1116–1127. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.02.013. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Hohn A., Leibrock J., Bailey K., Barde Y.-A. Identification and Characterization of a Novel Member of the Nerve Growth Factor/Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Family. Nature. 1990;344:339–341. doi: 10.1038/344339a0. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Hohn A., Leibrock J., Bailey K., Barde Y.-A. Identification and Characterization of a Novel Member of the Nerve Growth Factor/Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Family. Nature. 1990;344:339–341. doi: 10.1038/344339a0. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Volosin M., Song W., Almeida R.D., Kaplan D.R., Hempstead B.L., Friedman W.J. Interaction of Survival and Death Signaling in Basal Forebrain Neurons: Roles of Neurotrophins and Proneurotrophins. J. Neurosci. 2006;26:7756–7766. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1560-06.2006. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Volosin M., Song W., Almeida R.D., Kaplan D.R., Hempstead B.L., Friedman W.J. Interaction of Survival and Death Signaling in Basal Forebrain Neurons: Roles of Neurotrophins and Proneurotrophins. J. Neurosci. 2006;26:7756–7766. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1560-06.2006. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Bramham C.R., Messaoudi E. BDNF Function in Adult Synaptic Plasticity: The Synaptic Consolidation Hypothesis. Progress Neurobiol. 2005;76:99–125. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2005.06.003. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Bramham C.R., Messaoudi E. BDNF Function in Adult Synaptic Plasticity: The Synaptic Consolidation Hypothesis. Progress Neurobiol. 2005;76:99–125. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2005.06.003. - DOI - PubMed

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Converging Evidence Points to BDNF as Biomarker of Depressive Symptoms in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders

Affiliations

Converging Evidence Points to BDNF as Biomarker of Depressive Symptoms in Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders

Authors

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Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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Abstract

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