title: NGF serum levels variations in major depressed patients receiving duloxetine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nerve growth factor (NGF) is involved in the modulation of the neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) system, whereas alterations in neuroplasticity and NEI homeostasis seem to play a role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Objective of the study was to investigate NGF levels variations in MDD patients during antidepressant treatment with duloxetine, a relatively newer SNRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 MDD patients and 32 healthy controls were assessed using Hamilton depression scale (HAM-D) and monitored for NGF serum levels at baseline, week 6 and week 12 of duloxetine treatment (60 mg/day) and at baseline, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to early clinical response to duloxetine (defined at week 6 by reduction >50% of baseline HAM-D score), MDD patients were distinguished in early responders (ER) and early non-responders (ENR), who overall reached clinical response at week 12. Laboratory analysis showed overall significant lower baseline NGF levels among depressed patients compared to healthy controls, not significantly in ER and significantly in ENR. During duloxetine treatment NGF levels further decreased in association with clinical response, reaching significantly lower values in ER at W6 compared to controls, and in ENR at W12 compared to baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A decrease in NGF levels during duloxetine treatment in association to clinical response could be indicative of a relative restoring of NEI stress-adaptation system, since stressors, inducing neuronal instability due to neurotrophins activity changes, permits circuitry remodeling as background in the selection of alternative adaptive behaviors. However, the lower baseline NGF levels found in MDD patients that further decrease during the treatment could represent a lower neurotrophin set point, possibly reflecting a functional impairment in stress-adaptive neuroplasticity in depressive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Section of Psychiatry, IRCCS AOU San Martino - IST, Genoa, Italy. Electronic address: matteomartino9@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rocchi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escelsior
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Contini
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colicchio
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Berardis
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amore
authors.forename: Pantaleo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004351:Drug Resistance; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D013876:Thiophenes
keywords: Depression; Duloxetine; NGF; Neuro–endocrine–immune system