title: BDNF and Artemin are increased in drug-naïve non-depressed GAD patients: preliminary data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While the role of neuronal and glial plasticity are well established in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, the pattern and measures of neuronal and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factors are unknown in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The present study evaluates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Artemin (ARTN) plasma levels in GAD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen drug-naïve GAD patients without major depression were enrolled and plasmatic levels of BDNF and ARTN mRNA were measured by RT-PCR, and compared to matched healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed an unexpected increase in mRNA levels of both BDNF and ARTN in patients with GAD, that appeared almost doubled when compared to healthy controls. In comparison, both BDNF and ARTN are reduced in patients with major depressive disorder. Further, the results are intriguing and might involve distinguishing pathophysiological pathways.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of increased levels of a neurotrophic factor and of a glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family member in GAD patients. While further studies to confirm these results and the functional meaning in terms of pathophysiology of GAD are needed, the potential conceptual and clinical meanings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Sacramento, CA , USA.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pallanti
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tofani
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanardelli
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Cesare Mannelli
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghelardini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C490886:ARTN protein, human; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins
keywords: BDNF; GAD; artemin; drug-naïve; major depression