title: Plasma and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in depressed patients during 1 year of antidepressant treatments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been hypothesized to be involved in the neurobiology of major depression. The aim of this study was to assess the possible relationships between depressive symptoms and serum and/or plasma BDNF levels during 1 year of antidepressant treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma and serum BDNF levels were assayed in 15 drug-free depressed patients and in 15 healthy control subjects at baseline and the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th month of antidepressant treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, patients' serum and plasma BDNF levels were significantly lower (p<.001 and p=.004, respectively) than those found in healthy control subjects. However, while from the 1st month of treatment patients' plasma BDNF levels did not differ significantly from those observed in healthy control subjects, serum BDNF levels in patients remained significantly lower at all times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main limitations of the current study are represented by the small sample size and the high discontinuation rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Untreated depressed patients showed reduced baseline serum and plasma BDNF levels, as compared with control subjects. The clinical improvement paralleled the normalization of plasma BDNF after 1 month of treatment, while, at every assessment time, patients' serum BDNF levels were lower than those of control subjects. This would suggest that serum BDNF might represent a non-specific trait marker of depression.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. a.piccini@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piccinni
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marazziti
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catena
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domenici
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Debbio
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mannari
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martini
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Da Pozzo
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiavi
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roncaglia
authors.forename: Agnese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palla
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Consoli
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giovannini
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massimetti
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor