Circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor is decreased in women with anorexia and bulimia nervosa but not in women with binge-eating disorder: relationships to co-morbid depression, psychopathology and hormonal variables.
BACKGROUND
Several lines of evidence indicate a role of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the modulation of eating behaviour. Therefore, alterations in the physiology of this neurotrophin may be involved in the pathogenesis of eating disorders. In the present study, we investigated serum levels of BDNF in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED).


METHODS
Ninety-nine drug-free women (27 with AN, 24 with BN, 24 with BED and 24 healthy controls) underwent both a blood sample collection in the morning and diagnostic and psychopathological assessments by means of structured clinical interviews and ad-hoc rating scales. Serum levels of BDNF, 17 beta-oestradiol, FT3 and FT4 were measured.


RESULTS
Compared to healthy controls, serum levels of BDNF were significantly reduced in underweight AN women and in normal weight BN women, but not in overweight BED women. Changes in circulating BDNF levels were not affected by the presence of co-morbid depressive disorders. No significant correlation emerged between neurotrophin concentrations and psychopathological, nutritional, demographic and hormonal variables.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings evidentiate alterations in serum BDNF levels in malnourished patients with AN or BN, but not in well-nourished individuals with BED. Since BDNF seems to exert a satiety effect, its reduction may represent an adaptive change to counteract the decreased calorie ingestion of AN and BN individuals.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Naples, Italy. monteri@tin.it
Palmiero
P
Monteleone
Michele
M
Fabrazzo
Vassilis
V
Martiadis
Cristina
C
Serritella
Marilena
M
Pannuto
Mario
M
Maj
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002032:Bulimia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D002149:Energy Intake; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D004958:Estradiol; D013974:Thyroxine