title: Decreased levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in female patients with eating disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several lines of evidence suggest that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a role in the regulation of eating behavior. Because of its role in eating behavior, which is especially relevant to eating disorders, BDNF is an attractive candidate for investigation of potential biological markers of eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa (BN) and anorexia nervosa (AN).
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 18 female patients with BN, 12 female patients with AN, and 21 age-matched female normal control subjects in this study. Eating-related psychopathology and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Serum BDNF levels were measured by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of BDNF in the patients with AN or BN were significantly (p<.0001) decreased compared with those of normal control subjects, and serum BDNF levels in the patients with AN were significantly (p=.027) lower than those in patients with BN. A significant positive correlation (r=.378, p=.006) between serum BDNF levels and body mass index in all of the subjects was detected. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation (r=.435, p=.015) between the BITE symptom scale score and HDRS in these patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests that BDNF may play a role in the pathophysiology of eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kumakiri
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Naoe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsumori
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Masaomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iyo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002032:Bulimia / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor