Blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor correlate with several psychopathological symptoms in anorexia nervosa patients.
BACKGROUND
Evidence of a role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of eating disorders (ED) has been provided by association studies and by murine models. BDNF plasma levels have been found altered in ED and in psychiatric disorders that show comorbidity with ED.


OBJECTIVE
Since the role of BDNF levels in ED-related psychopathological symptoms has not been tested, we investigated the correlation of BDNF plasma levels with the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90R) questionnaire in a total of 78 ED patients.


METHODS
BDNF levels, measured by the enzyme-linked immunoassay system, and SCL-90R questionnaire, were assessed in a total of 78 ED patients. The relationship between BDNF levels and SCL-90R scales was calculated using a general linear model.


RESULTS
BDNF plasma levels correlated with the Global Severity Index and the Positive Symptom Distress Index global scales and five of the nine subscales in the anorexia nervosa patients. BDNF plasma levels were able to explain, in the case of the Psychoticism subscale, up to 17% of the variability (p = 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that BDNF levels could be involved in the severity of the disease through the modulation of psychopathological traits that are associated with the ED phenotype.
Mercader
Josep M
JM
Genes and Disease Program, Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Barcelona, Spain.
Fernández-Aranda
Fernando
F
Gratacòs
Mònica
M
Ribasés
Marta
M
Badía
Anna
A
Villarejo
Cynthia
C
Solano
Raquel
R
González
Juan R
JR
Vallejo
Julio
J
Estivill
Xavier
X
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor