Brain-derived neurotrophic factor as a biomarker of acute episodes in bipolar disorder: meta-regression analysis

2^nd World Congress on Biomarkers & Clinical Research

12-14 September 2011 Baltimore, USA

Brisa S. Fernandes

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Mol Biomark Diagn

Abstract :

RS, Brazil Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a central role in synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. Bipolar disorder (BD) is among the most disabling of all psychiatric disorders and is associated with poor outcomes. Some studies suggest that BDNF levels decrease during mood states and remain normal during euthymia, but other studies have contradicted this paradigm. Th erefore, the aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of all studies that measured peripheral BDNF levels in adults with BD. We conducted a systematic review using electronic databases. Inclusion criteria were studies that measured BDNF in plasma or serum in vivo in adult patients with BD. Th e resulting studies were compiled to measure the eff ect sizes (ESs) of the diff erences in BDNF levels between BD patients in diff erent mood states and controls. Th irteen studies were included with a total of 1113 subjects. Th e BDNF levels were decreased in both mania and depression when compared to controls (ES -0.81, 95% CI -1.11 to -0.52, p<0.0001 and ES -0.97, 95% CI -1.79 to -0.51, p=0.02, respectively). Th e BDNF levels were not diff erent in euthymia when compared to controls (ES -0.20, 95% CI -0.61 to 0.21, p=0.33). Meta-regression analyses in euthymia showed that age (p<0.0001) and length of illness (p=0.04) infl uenced the variation in ES. Th ere was also an increase in BDNF levels following the treatment for acute mania (ES -0.63, 95% CI -1.11 to -0.15, p=0.01). In conclusion, BDNF levels are consistently reduced during manic and depressive episodes and recover aft er treatment for acute mania. In euthymia, BDNF decreases with age and length of illness. Th ese data suggest that peripheral BDNF could be used as a biomarker of mood states and disease progression for BD.

Biography :

Dr. Brisa S. Fernandes has completed his M.D. at the age of 23 years from Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Brazil. She is a psychiatrist and currently a full time researcher as a doctoral student at the Laboratory of Calcium Binding Proteins in the Central Nervous System and Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). She has published 20 papers in reputed journals and received nine research awards or honors, including the Samuel Gershon Award for Junior Investigators (SGAJI) from the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) in 2010. Her main focus of research is biomarkers in psychiatric diseases, particularly bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and its pathological and clinical implications.