title: Neurotrophic factors in women with crack cocaine dependence during early abstinence: the role of early life stress.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurotrophic factors have been investigated in the pathophysiology of alcohol and drug dependence and have been related to early life stress driving developmental programming of neuroendocrine systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a follow-up study that aimed to assess the plasma levels of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT4/5) in crack users during 3 weeks of early abstinence in comparison with healthy controls. We performed a comprehensive clinical assessment in female inpatients with crack cocaine dependence (separated into 2 groups: participants with (CSA+) and without (CSA-) a history of childhood sexual abuse) and a group of nonuser control participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample included 104 women with crack cocaine dependence and 22 controls; of the women who used crack cocaine, 22 had a history of childhood sexual abuse and 82 did not. The GDNF plasma levels in the CSA+ group increased dramatically during 3 weeks of detoxification. In contrast, those in the CSA- group showed lower and stable levels of GDNF under the same conditions. Compared with the control group, BDNF plasma levels remained elevated and NGF levels were reduced during early abstinence. We found no differences in NT3 and NT4/5 between the patients and controls. However, within-group analyses showed that the CSA+ group exhibited higher levels of NT4/5 than the CSA- group at the end of detoxification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some of the participants were using neuroleptics, mood stabilizers or antidepressants; our sample included only women; memory bias could not be controlled; and we did not investigate the possible confounding effects of other forms of stress during childhood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the association between early life stress and peripheral neurotrophic factor levels in crack cocaine users. During early abstinence, plasmastic GDNF and NT4/5 were the only factors to show changes associated with a history of childhood sexual abuse.
authors: Centre of Studies and Research in Traumatic Stress, Post-Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of the Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Thiago W
authors: TW
authors: Viola
authors: Centre of Studies and Research in Traumatic Stress, Post-Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of the Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Saulo G
authors: SG
authors: Tractenberg
authors: Centre of Studies and Research in Traumatic Stress, Post-Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of the Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Mateus Luz
authors: ML
authors: Levandowski
authors: Post-Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Júlio Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Pezzi
authors: Centre of Studies and Research in Traumatic Stress, Post-Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of the Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Laboratory of Immunosenescence, Institute of Biomedical Research, Pontifical Catholic University of the Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Moisés Evandro
authors: ME
authors: Bauer
authors: Neuroscience Program, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors: Antonio Lúcio
authors: AL
authors: Teixeira
authors: Centre of Studies and Research in Traumatic Stress, Post-Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifical Catholic University of the Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil Laboratory of Immunosenescence, Institute of Biomedical Research, Pontifical Catholic University of the Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors: Rodrigo
authors: R
authors: Grassi-Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000097:blood; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016578:Crack Cocaine; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; C071951:neurotrophin 5; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; C073922:neurotrophin 4