title: Differential effects of diazepam, tandospirone, and paroxetine on plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor level under mental stress.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels are reduced in depressed patients, and successful antidepressant treatment leads to increases in BDNF levels. However, little is known about how psychotropic drugs affect the mechanism of the human response to mental stress. We investigated the influence of psychotropic drugs on plasma BDNF levels under mental stress using a driving simulator (DS) task.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen healthy male volunteers received one of four drugs, diazepam (5 mg), tandospirone (20 mg), paroxetine (10 mg), and matched placebo, in a double-blind, crossover manner. Subjects were asked to perform the DS task 4 h post-dosing. Plasma BDNF levels were measured before and after the DS task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma BDNF levels under the placebo, diazepam, and tandospirone conditions significantly decreased after the DS task compared with before the task. Conversely, no significant differences in plasma BDNF levels were detected under the paroxetine condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As these three psychotropic drugs have differential effects on plasma BDNF levels under mental stress after 4 h post-dosing, antidepressants, unlike anxiolytics, might have a prompt positive effect on the mental stress response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamaji
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ebe
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Shohko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kunimoto
authors.forename: Branko
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aleksic
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D054833:Isoindoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D054833:Isoindoles; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; C055267:tandospirone; D017374:Paroxetine; D003975:Diazepam