title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor serum concentrations in depressive patients during vagus nerve stimulation and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are brain stimulation techniques used as therapeutic interventions in major depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we report the impact of these stimulation techniques on serum concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in treatment-resistant patients with a diagnosis of major depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no changes of BDNF serum concentrations and no association of neurotrophin concentrations in serum with clinical parameters in our sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary results suggest that brain stimulation techniques-in contrast to several antidepressant medications-do not change BDNF serum concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01099 Dresden, Germany. undine.lang@gmx.de
authors.forename: Undine E
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Malek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bajbouj
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gallinat
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hellweg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor