BACKGROUND: This prospective cohort study investigated the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which mediates synaptic plasticity crucial for fear memory extinction, in patients severely injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). METHOD: A nested, case-controlled study was conducted with 103 MVA survivors: 8 medication-naïve patients who met the criteria for full diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 6 months after MVA, 10 medication-naïve patients with partial PTSD and 85 patients with no PTSD. PTSD was evaluated by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Serum BDNF levels were measured shortly after the MVA (baseline) and at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Posttrauma serum BDNF levels differed between the 3 groups after controlling for age and sex (F = 3.41, p = 0.04), with unexpectedly higher serum BDNF levels seen in the full-PTSD group compared with the no-PTSD group. Additional analysis of patients with serum samples taken at baseline and at 6 months revealed the full-PTSD group had significantly higher serum BDNF levels over the 6 months than the no-PTSD group after controlling for age and sex (F = 6.44, p < 0.01). A positive correlation was seen between changes in serum BDNF levels over 6 months and the CAPS score at 6 months (r = 0.26, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study, the first to report longitudinal serum BDNF levels in MVA survivors, suggest that elevated serum BDNF levels could be a biomarker of PTSD after a traumatic event.
BACKGROUND: This prospective cohort study investigated the serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which mediates synaptic plasticity crucial for fear memory extinction, in patients severely injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). METHOD: A nested, case-controlled study was conducted with 103 MVA survivors: 8 medication-naïve patients who met the criteria for full diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 6 months after MVA, 10 medication-naïve patients with partial PTSD and 85 patients with no PTSD. PTSD was evaluated by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Serum BDNF levels were measured shortly after the MVA (baseline) and at 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Posttrauma serum BDNF levels differed between the 3 groups after controlling for age and sex (F = 3.41, p = 0.04), with unexpectedly higher serum BDNF levels seen in the full-PTSD group compared with the no-PTSD group. Additional analysis of patients with serum samples taken at baseline and at 6 months revealed the full-PTSD group had significantly higher serum BDNF levels over the 6 months than the no-PTSD group after controlling for age and sex (F = 6.44, p < 0.01). A positive correlation was seen between changes in serum BDNF levels over 6 months and the CAPS score at 6 months (r = 0.26, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study, the first to report longitudinal serum BDNF levels in MVA survivors, suggest that elevated serum BDNF levels could be a biomarker of PTSD after a traumatic event.
Authors: Mark W Logue; Alicia K Smith; Clinton Baldwin; Erika J Wolf; Guia Guffanti; Andrew Ratanatharathorn; Annjanette Stone; Steven A Schichman; Donald Humphries; Elisabeth B Binder; Janine Arloth; Andreas Menke; Monica Uddin; Derek Wildman; Sandro Galea; Allison E Aiello; Karestan C Koenen; Mark W Miller Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2015-03-24 Impact factor: 4.905
Authors: Y Matsuoka; D Nishi; Y Tanima; M Itakura; M Kojima; K Hamazaki; H Noguchi; T Hamazaki Journal: Transl Psychiatry Date: 2015-07-07 Impact factor: 6.222
Authors: A P Harris; R J Lennen; N M Brydges; M A Jansen; C R Pernet; H C Whalley; I Marshall; S Baker; A M Basso; M Day; M C Holmes; J Hall Journal: Genes Brain Behav Date: 2016-01-05 Impact factor: 3.449