title: Neurotrophic factors, clinical features and gender differences in depression.
abstract: Recent studies have evaluated the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in mood disorders; however, little is known about alterations in nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). The aim of this study was to evaluate differences among serum neurotrophic factors (BDNF, NGF and GDNF) in depressed patients and healthy controls and to verify the association between serum neurotrophic levels and clinical characteristics in a young, depressed population stratified by gender. This is a cross-sectional study with depressed patients and population controls 18-29 years of age. The concentrations of neurotrophic factors were determined by the ELISA method. The diagnosis of depression and the duration of the disease were assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview according to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Depression severity was measured with the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the severity of anxiety symptoms was measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Serum BDNF and GDNF were lower in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients compared to controls (p ≤ 0.001). Serum NGF levels were higher in MDD patients versus controls (p ≤ 0.001). BDNF was associated with the duration of disease only in women (p = 0.005). GDNF was not associated with clinical characteristics in either gender. In women, NGF was associated with the severity of depressive symptoms (p = 0.009), anxiety (p = 0.011) and disease duration (p = 0.005). NGF was associated with disease duration in men (p = 0.026). Our results demonstrated that significant neurochemical differences in NGF and BDNF, but not in GDNF, were associated with the clinical features of MDD when patients were stratified by gender.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Comportamento, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Jean Pierre Oses, Rua Gonçalves Chaves 373, Sala 418C, Centro, Pelotas, CEP 96015-560, Brazil.
authors.forename: Taiane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Azevedo Cardoso
authors.forename: Thaise Campos
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Mondin
authors.forename: Carolina David
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Wiener
authors.forename: Melina Bazili
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Briane de Ávila
authors.initials: Bde Á
authors.lastname: Fucolo
authors.forename: Ricardo Tavares
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Luciano Dias Mattos
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Ricardo Azevedo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Jean Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Oses
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C502240:NGF protein, human; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C579455:BDNF protein, human; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor