Heart rate variability and serum level of insulin-like growth factor-1 are correlated with symptoms of emotional disorders in patients suffering a mild traumatic brain injury.
OBJECTIVE
Patients who have experienced a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are susceptible to symptoms of anxiety or depression. To explore the potential biomarkers for emotional disorders in mTBI patients, we analyzed the frequency domain of heart rate variability (HRV) and serum concentrations of four neurohormones.


METHODS
We assessed mTBI patients on their first visit and follow-up. Symptoms were evaluated by the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. Serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), melatonin, cortisol, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and HRV follow-ups were measured and compared.


RESULTS
mTBI patients were more vulnerable to symptoms of anxiety or depression than healthy controls. Reduced HRV was noted in mTBI patients compared to healthy controls. The mTBI patients demonstrated higher serum levels of ACTH, lower IGF-1 compared to healthy controls. In correlation analysis, only IGF-1 was positively correlated with HRV in mTBI patients. Both HRV and IGF-1 were correlated with symptom of depression while only HRV was correlated with symptom of anxiety in mTBI patients.


CONCLUSIONS
We infer that HRV may be more significantly correlated with emotional disorders than is IGF-1 in mTBI patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The study is relevant for specific diagnostic markers in mTBI patients.
Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Chih-Wei
CW
Sung
Graduate Program on Neuroregeneration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Kai-Yun
KY
Chen
Graduate Program on Neuroregeneration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; Department of Neurosurgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Yung-Hsiao
YH
Chiang
Graduate Institute of Injury and Prevention, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Wen-Ta
WT
Chiu
Department of Emergency, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan.
Ju-Chi
JC
Ou
Department of Psychiatry, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan.
Hsin-Chien
HC
Lee
Graduate Institute of Injury and Prevention, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Shin-Han
SH
Tsai
Department of Neurosurgery, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan.
Jia-Wei
JW
Lin
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan.
Che-Ming
CM
Yang
Graduate Program on Neuroregeneration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Yan-Rou
YR
Tsai
Department of Neurosurgery, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan.
Kuo-Hsing
KH
Liao
Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Gunng-Shinng
GS
Chen
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Wei-Jiun
WJ
Li
Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan. Electronic address: jywang2010@tmu.edu.tw.
Jia-Yi
JY
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
Autonomic nervous system (ANS); Emotional disorder; Heart rate variability (HRV); Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1); Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)