title: Diurnal variation of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in humans: an analysis of sex differences.
abstract: Scant information is available on the diurnal variation of peripheral neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in human beings. We explored plasma and serum BDNF levels at three different clock times in a study of 28 healthy subjects of both sexes. Statistically significant diurnal variation in plasma BDNF level was detected in men, with the peak at 08:00 h and nadir at 22:00 h. At this time, the plasma BDNF concentration of men was significantly lower than that of women (p=.02). However, no diurnal variation was found either in plasma BDNF of women, in either the follicular or luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, or in serum BDNF level in both men and women. These findings support the concept of rhythmic variation in plasma BDNF regulation that seems to be sex-related.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piccinni
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marazziti
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Debbio
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roncaglia
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mannari
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Origlia
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catena Dell'Osso
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massimetti
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domenici
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor