title: Asthma and suicide: possible role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
abstract: The suicide rates among asthmatic patients are higher than among the general population. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family and is strongly associated with suicide pathogenesis. BDNF also plays an important role in neuroimmune reactions in allergic diseases such as asthma. Therefore, we hypothesize that alterations of BDNF levels in the brain may explain the increased suicide rates among asthmatic patients.
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Fatih/Istanbul, Turkey. esraozek@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozek
authors.forename: Barış
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ekici
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D013405:Suicide; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor