title: The correlation between perceived social support, cortisol and brain derived neurotrophic factor levels in healthy women.
abstract: In this study, the role of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in stress resilience was investigated. With a focus on healthy subjects, we explored whether plasma BDNF levels are correlated with the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and subjectively perceived social support status. Moreover, we examined the possible interacting effect of DST status and perceived social support on BDNF levels. Seventy-two healthy volunteers, 44 females and 28 males, were recruited from the community and completed the perceived routine support subscale of Measurement of Support Function (PRS_MSF) questionnaire. Plasma BDNF levels and DST suppression rate with the low dose DST were measured. There was a significant positive correlation between BDNF and DST suppression rate in the female subjects. This was also true for the plasma BDNF levels and PRS_MSF in the female subjects. The positive correlation between BDNF and PRS_MSF was significant only in female subjects with low DST suppression rates. Plasma BDNF levels were associated with stress resilience in a sex-specific manner. Subjects' belief in social support might buffer the biological stress reactions. Differences in social perception and the biological stress response between men and women merits further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Doy Yung
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Dou-Liou Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Cheng Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei Hung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Mei Hung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Dou-Liou Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsin Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Dou-Liou Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan; Addiction Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Behavioral Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen Kuang
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Addiction Research Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: chenps@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Po See
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011581:Psychological Tests; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF); Dexamethasone suppression test; Social support