title: Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on serum brain derived neurotrophic factor in drug resistant depressed patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression has been associated with low brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels, while antidepressant drugs appear to mend this alteration. The purpose of this study was to assess BDNF serum levels in drug resistant depressed patients before and after repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) antidepressant treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  BDNF levels were measured in serum of 16 resistant depressed patients using the ELISA technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BDNF baseline levels showed a negative correlation with illness severity measured by HDRS scores (R = -0.517, p = 0.04) and a significant increase of serum BDNF was found after rTMS treatment (t = -2.549, df = 15, p = 0.022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the relationship between decreased serum BDNF and depression symptomatology and suggest a normalizing effect of rTMS antidepressant treatment. Further replications in larger samples will help to clarify the relevance of this preliminary data in the rTMS mechanism of action.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS "S. Giovanni di Dio", Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zanardini
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gazzoli
authors.forename: Mariacarla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ventriglia
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bignotti
authors.forename: Paolo Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gennarelli
authors.forename: Luisella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bocchio-Chiavetto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor