title: Neurotrophic factors in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the levels of neurotrophins (NF) of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in different stages of treatment and their relationship with OCD clinical features. Forty patients with OCD and 40 healthy controls had Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), and Glial Cell-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GNDF) plasma levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Patients with OCD were further examined with the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Patients with OCD exhibited significantly lower levels of BDNF and significantly increased levels of NGF as compared to healthy controls. In OCD, statistically significant negative correlations between BDNF levels and number of working days lost per week were found. Additional analyses revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between both NGF and GDNF and severity of washing symptoms. Plasma levels of NF were not affected by age, age at OCD onset, gender, major depressive disorder, the relative dose of serotonin-reuptake inhibitors being prescribed, or the use of antipsychotics. Our findings suggest that patients with OCD may exhibit a particular NF profile, with functional impairment correlating with BDNF levels and severity of washing symptoms correlating with NGF and GDNF levels.
authors.affiliation: Anxiety and Depression Research Program, Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro & D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Av. Venceslau Brás 71 fundos, Botafogo, CEP 22290-140, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. lfontenelle@gmail.com
authors.forename: Leonardo F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Fontenelle
authors.forename: Izabela Guimarães
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Juliano Victor
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.forename: Natalia Pessoa
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Silva Miranda
authors.forename: Antonio Lucio
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor