Increased plasma brain-derived neurotropic factor, not nerve growth factor-Beta, in schizophrenia patients with better response to risperidone treatment.
BACKGROUND
Some neurotropins, including brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) or nerve growth factor-beta (beta-NGF), play important roles in neurodevelopment and neuroprotection. We examined the plasma levels of these 2 factors in schizophrenia patients at the time of admission and after 6 weeks of treatment with risperidone.


METHODS
Plasma BDNF and beta-NGF levels were measured in 36 schizophrenia patients and 36 healthy controls. All the patients underwent 6 weeks of treatment with risperidone. The severity of schizophrenia and response to treatment were assessed with the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS). We compared plasma BDNF and beta-NGF levels among much-improved (n = 13, 36.1%, > or =50% PANSS score reduction), minimal-improved (n = 15, 41.7%, > or =25% and <50% PANSS score reduction) and nonresponse patients (n = 8, 22.2%, <25% PANSS score reduction).


RESULTS
At baseline, plasma BDNF had no significant difference between schizophrenia patients and controls, but beta-NGF levels were significantly lower in schizophrenia patients than controls (p = 0.037). Plasma BDNF and beta-NGF in all schizophrenia patients had no significant changes between pre- and posttreatment. Baseline BDNF levels were significantly lower in nonresponse patients than others (p = 0.038). After treatment, much-improved patients had significantly higher plasma BDNF than nonresponse patients (p = 0.023). However, beta-NGF levels had no significant differences between them.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that higher plasma BDNF levels might be associated with better response to risperidone treatment, while plasma beta-NGF levels might have no effect on the clinical response in schizophrenia patients.
Lee
Bun-Hee
BH
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Ansan, Korea.
Kim
Yong-Ku
YK
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D018967:Risperidone