BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling at synapses improves synaptic strengthening associated with learning and memory. In the present study we hypothesized that serum BDNF concentration is associated with in vivo level of cerebral N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a well established marker of neuronal integrity. METHODS: In 36 healthy subjects BDNF serum concentration and absolute concentration of NAA together with other metabolites were measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in regions with high BDNF levels (anterior cingulate cortex [ACC], left hippocampus). Relationship between BDNF concentration and brain metabolites was studied in linear regression analysis with BDNF concentration as dependent variable and metabolite concentrations, age, and gender as predictor variables. RESULTS: The BDNF serum concentrations were positively associated with the concentrations of NAA (T = 2.193, p = .037) and total choline (T = 1.997, p = .055; trend) but not total creatine or glutamate in the ACC. No significant association was observed between BDNF serum concentration and absolute metabolite concentrations in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary data might indicate that BDNF serum concentration reflects some aspects of neuronal plasticity as indicated by its association with NAA level in the cerebral cortex. The results would be in line with the notion that BDNF plays a central role in the regulation of neuronal survival and differentiation in the human brain.
BACKGROUND:Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling at synapses improves synaptic strengthening associated with learning and memory. In the present study we hypothesized that serum BDNF concentration is associated with in vivo level of cerebral N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a well established marker of neuronal integrity. METHODS: In 36 healthy subjects BDNF serum concentration and absolute concentration of NAA together with other metabolites were measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in regions with high BDNF levels (anterior cingulate cortex [ACC], left hippocampus). Relationship between BDNF concentration and brain metabolites was studied in linear regression analysis with BDNF concentration as dependent variable and metabolite concentrations, age, and gender as predictor variables. RESULTS: The BDNF serum concentrations were positively associated with the concentrations of NAA (T = 2.193, p = .037) and total choline (T = 1.997, p = .055; trend) but not total creatine or glutamate in the ACC. No significant association was observed between BDNF serum concentration and absolute metabolite concentrations in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary data might indicate that BDNF serum concentration reflects some aspects of neuronal plasticity as indicated by its association with NAA level in the cerebral cortex. The results would be in line with the notion that BDNF plays a central role in the regulation of neuronal survival and differentiation in the human brain.
Authors: Owen M Wolkowitz; Jessica Wolf; Wendy Shelly; Rebecca Rosser; Heather M Burke; George K Lerner; Victor I Reus; J Craig Nelson; Elissa S Epel; Synthia H Mellon Journal: Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry Date: 2011-07-03 Impact factor: 5.067
Authors: B S Fernandes; J Steiner; M Berk; M L Molendijk; A Gonzalez-Pinto; C W Turck; P Nardin; C-A Gonçalves Journal: Mol Psychiatry Date: 2014-09-30 Impact factor: 15.992
Authors: Basira Salehi; Nora Preuss; Jan Willem van der Veen; Jun Shen; Alexander Neumeister; Wayne C Drevets; Colin Hodgkinson; David Goldman; Jens R Wendland; Andrew Singleton; Jesse R Gibbs; Mark R Cookson; Gregor Hasler Journal: Int J Neuropsychopharmacol Date: 2012-12-20 Impact factor: 5.176
Authors: Michael Tseng; Martin Alda; Li Xu; Xiujun Sun; Jun-Feng Wang; Paul Grof; Gustavo Turecki; Guy Rouleau; L Trevor Young Journal: J Psychiatry Neurosci Date: 2008-09 Impact factor: 6.186