title: Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factors in Taiwanese patients with drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia: Effects of antipsychotics.
abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) are known to be related to the psychopathology of schizophrenia. However, studies focussing on drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia are still rare.
  
  
  
  Over a 5-year period, we investigated the serum BDNF levels in patients with first-episode drug-naïve schizophrenia and compared them to age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We also explored the association between antipsychotic doses, positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) scores, and serum BDNF levels before and after a 4-week antipsychotic treatment.
  
  
  
  The baseline serum BDNF levels of 34 patients were significantly lower than those of the controls (df = 66, P = .001). Although the PANSS scores of 20 followed-up patients improved significantly after antipsychotic treatment, the elevation of the serum BDNF levels was not statistically significant (P = .386). In addition, Pearson's correlation test showed significant correlations between pre-treatment negative scale scores and percentage changes in BDNF (P = .002).
  
  
  
  The peripheral BDNF levels in Taiwanese patients with drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia, compared with healthy controls, did not elevate after antipsychotic treatment, and pre-treatment negative symptoms played a pivotal role in trajectories of serum BDNF levels. Large samples will be needed in future studies to verify these results.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine , Kaohsiung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chiou
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine , Kaohsiung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tiao-Lai
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
keywords: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; drug-naïve; first episode; schizophrenia; antipsychotic