Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in chronically medicated schizophrenic patients: a positive correlation.
OBJECTIVE
The neurotrophins, antioxidant enzymes and oxidative markers have reciprocal interactions. This report verified in chronically stable medicated schizophrenic patients whether there are correlations between the serum levels of superoxide dismutase, a key enzyme in the antioxidant defense, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, a direct index of lipid peroxidation, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, the most widely distributed neurotrophin.


METHODS
Sixty DSM-IV schizophrenic patients were included (43 males, 17 females). Mean age was 34.7 +/- 10.8 years, mean age at first episode was 19.8 +/- 7.9 years, and mean illness duration was 14.9 +/- 8.5 years. Each subject had a blood sample collected for the determination of serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and superoxide dismutase.


RESULTS
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels showed a positive correlation with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels (r = 0.333, p = 0.009). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels were not correlated with superoxide dismutase levels (r = - 0.181, p = 0.166), and superoxide dismutase levels were not correlated with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels (r = 0.141, p = 0.284).


CONCLUSIONS
The positive correlation between brain-derived neurotrophic factor and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances suggests the need of further investigation on intracellular interactions of neurotrophins, antioxidant enzymes and oxidative markers. In addition, this opens a venue for investigation on treatments for the prevention of neurotoxicity along the course of schizophrenia.
Gama
Clarissa Severino
CS
Molecular Psychiatry Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. csgama@yahoo.com
Berk
Michael
M
Andreazza
Ana Cristina
AC
Kapczinski
Flávio
F
Belmonte-de-Abreu
Paulo
P
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase