The determination and clinical implications of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level in depressive patients / 中国基层医药

Objective To explore the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with depression and their correlation with age,gender,age of onset,illness course,depressive severity.Methods Serum BDNF levels in 91 depressive patients and 36 healthy controls were assayed by the ELISA method .The clinical char-acteristics were assessed by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ( HAMD) .Results The serum BDNF levels in depressive patients were (24.38 ±6.27)μg/L,which was significantly lower than (31.44 ±10.72)μg/L in controls (t=3.708,P 0.05).Conclusion Serum BDNF levels in depressive patients was decreased and low levels of BDNF in serum may be a state characteristic for depression .

Clinical symptoms and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level between depressive patients with and without attempted suicide behavior / 中国基层医药

Objective To explore the characteristics of clinical symptoms and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)level between depressive patients with and without attempted suicide behavior.Methods Serum BDNF level in depressive patients with(n=36)and without(n=55)attempted suicide behavior were assayed by ELISA,the severity of depression was measured by Hamilton rating scale for depression(HAMD).Results HAMD24 total scores(t=3.632,P=0.000),cognitive disturbance(t=-2.339,P=0.019)and hopelessness factor scores(t=-2.812,P=0.005)in depressive patients with attempted suicide behavior were significantly higher than those in depressive patients without attempted suicide behavior.There were no significant differences of anxiety/somatization,body weight,diurnal variation,psychomotric inhibition and sleeping disturbance fator scores between two groups(P＞0.05).The serum BDNF level in depressive patients with attempted suicide behavior was significantly lower than that in depressive patients without attempted suicide behavior(t=-2.122,P=0.037).There was no significant difference of serum BDNF level between male and female patients(P＞0.05).Conclusion There were certain characteristics on clinical symptoms of depressive patients with attempted suicide behavior.The low serum BDNF level might play an important role in the risk of suicide in depressive patients.