title: Brain derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) is associated with childhood abuse but not cognitive domains in first episode psychosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) modulates cognitive processes and is associated with increased risk of schizophrenia. Childhood trauma (CT) is frequent in patients with psychosis and severely affects course and outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the hypothesis that BDNF is associated with both CT and cognitive deficits in a sample of first-episode psychosis (FEP) cases and unaffected controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants with FEP and healthy controls were recruited between August 2008 and July 2011 from South London, UK. Childhood traumatic events were detected using the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire (CECA-Q). Neuropsychological data were also collected. BDNF plasma levels were measured from fasting blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were available on 87 FEP patients and 152 controls. Our results showed a significant effect of separation (F=5.5; df=1,115; p=.02), physical (F=4.7; df=1, 118; p=.03) and sexual abuse (F=5.4; df=1,117; p=.02) on BDNF levels with lower levels among those who experienced the traumatic event compared to those who did not. Physical abuse predicted lower plasma levels of BDNF (β=-.30; p=.03) whereas sexual and/or physical abuse showed a trend (β=-.26; p=.06) in FEP patients but not in unaffected controls. No association between BDNF plasma levels and cognitive functions was found among patients with FEP and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest the possible involvement of BDNF in the onset of first-episode psychosis in individuals exposed to early trauma and propose BDNF as a potential clinical biomarker to detect the detrimental effects of CT on human brain plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Theleritis
authors.affiliation: MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London UK.
authors.forename: Helen L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy-University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shäfer
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy-University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Winters
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.affiliation: Health Services & Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dazzan
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Josefien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breedvelt
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sambath
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Silia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vitoratou
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai-Medical School, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai-Medical School, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reichenberg
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: M Aurora
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mondelli
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.affiliation: Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.affiliation: Section of Perinatal Psychiatry and the Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pariante
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Forti
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Robin M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. Electronic address: stefania.bonaccorso@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonaccorso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
keywords: BDNF; Childhood trauma; Cognition; First-episode psychosis