Decreased serum fibroblast growth factor - 2 levels in pre- and post-treatment patients with major depressive disorder.

Increasing evidence indicates that neurotrophic factor dysfunction might be involved in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2, one of the major neurotrophins, plays an important role in the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this study was to explore whether the FGF-2 in serum was associated with MDD and to evaluate the effects of antidepressant treatment on serum FGF-2 levels. Serum FGF-2 levels were determined in 28 pre- and post-treatment MDD patients and 30 healthy controls using ELISA. The results of the current study revealed that serum FGF-2 levels in MDD patients were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (p=0.005), and the serum FGF-2 levels decreased significantly but marginally following treatment for 8 weeks (p=0.005). These findings demonstrate that the lower serum FGF-2 levels contribute to the pathophysiology of MDD and that FGF-2 may be used as a peripheral biological marker for MDD.