title: Clinical correlates of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor in post-traumatic stress disorder spectrum after a natural disaster.
abstract: Clinical correlates of plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) have been investigated in a clinical population with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and healthy control subjects who survived to the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake. Twenty-six outpatients and 14 control subjects were recruited. Assessments included: Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis-I disorders Patient Version, Trauma and Loss Spectrum-Self Report (TALS-SR) for post-traumatic spectrum symptoms. Thirteen patients were diagnosed as Full PTSD and 13 as Partial PTSD. The subjects with full-blown PTSD showed lower BDNF level than subjects with partial PTSD and controls. Different relationship patterns of BDNF with post-traumatic stress spectrum symptoms have been reported in the three samples. Our findings add more insight on the mechanisms regulating BDNF levels in response to stress and further proofs of the utility of the distinction of PTSD into full and partial categories.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, ASL 1, L'Aquila, Italy. Electronic address: psystr@tin.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stratta
authors.affiliation: General Pathology and Immunology Laboratory, Department Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanità
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, ASL 1, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bonanni
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, ASL 1, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Cataldo
authors.affiliation: General Pathology and Immunology Laboratory, Department Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angelucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Origlia
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Pisa, Italy; Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domenici
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carmassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piccinni
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human
keywords: Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF); Earthquake; Partial PTSD; Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); Post-traumatic spectrum symptoms; Stress