title: Oxidative stress and BDNF as possible markers for the severity of crack cocaine use in early withdrawal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An important goal of addiction research is to discover neurobiological markers that could predict the severity of addiction and help to determine appropriate treatment. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) are being related to cerebral plasticity and impairment caused by substance abuse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to evaluate alteration of TBARS and BDNF levels among crack cocaine users during early drug withdrawal and its relationship to severity of drug use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine adults crack cocaine users were recruited at a public psychiatric hospital with a specialized addiction treatment unit. Blood sample was collected at intake and discharge for the analysis of TBARS and BDNF measures. Information about drug use was assessed by the Addiction Severity Index 6th Version (ASI-6). Detailed information about crack cocaine use was obtained through the "Profile of the crack cocaine user." Severity of crack use was estimated using information from age of first crack use, years of crack use, and crack rocks used in the previous 30 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is a positive correlation between TBARS levels and severity of crack cocaine use (R = 0.304, p = 0.04) and a negative correlation between BDNF and severity of crack cocaine use (R = -0.359, p = 0.01) at discharge. Also, we found an inverse correlation between TBARS and BDNF levels (R = -0.294, p = 0.004) at discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that BDNF and TBARS could be possible markers for the severity of drug use. Further studies may show how those markers could be related to staging, prognosis, and treatment in crack cocaine dependence.
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Prof. Alvaro Alvim, 400, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90420-020, Brazil, annesordi@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Anne Orgle
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Sordi
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pechansky
authors.forename: Felix Henrique Paim
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Flávio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapczinski
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pfaffenseller
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gubert
authors.forename: Bianca Wollenhaupt
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: de Aguiar
authors.forename: Joana Correa
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Magalhães Narvaez
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ornell
authors.forename: Lisia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: von Diemen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances