Henriette N Buttenschøn1, Leslie Foldager2, Betina Elfving3, Pia H P Poulsen3, Rudolf Uher4, Ole Mors5. 1. Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Skovagervej 2, 8240 Risskov, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Denmark. Electronic address: henrbutt@rm.dk. 2. Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Skovagervej 2, 8240 Risskov, Denmark; The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Denmark; Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. 3. Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Skovagervej 2, 8240 Risskov, Denmark. 4. Kings College London, England; Department of Psychiatry, Halifax, Canada. 5. The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, Denmark; Research Department P, Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) have been suggested to play a role in the pathophysiology of depression. The neurotrophic model of depression hypothesises that the serum level of e.g. BDNF is decreased during depression and increased in response to treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate BDNF and VEGF as potential predictors of response to antidepressant treatment. METHODS: We investigated the longitudinal associations between depression scores and serum levels of these neurotrophic factors during antidepressant treatment in 90 individuals with depression of at least moderate severity. Serum levels were measured at baseline and after 8 and 12 weeks of treatment with nortriptyline or escitalopram. RESULTS: No baseline or longitudinal correlations between depression scores and serum levels of BDNF and VEGF were found, and the baseline serum levels did not predict the MADRS depression score after 12 weeks of treatment or the improvement in depression scores. Interestingly, we observed a significant baseline and longitudinal correlation between serum levels of BDNF and VEGF. The two classes of antidepressant treatment did not affect the results differently. LIMITATIONS: Information on potential factors influencing the serum levels is missing. CONCLUSION: Our results do not support the neurotrophic model of depression, since a significant decrease in serum BDNF and VEGF levels after 12 weeks of antidepressant treatment was observed. Our study encourages future studies with large sample sizes, more observations and a longer follow-up period.
BACKGROUND:Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) have been suggested to play a role in the pathophysiology of depression. The neurotrophic model of depression hypothesises that the serum level of e.g. BDNF is decreased during depression and increased in response to treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate BDNF and VEGF as potential predictors of response to antidepressant treatment. METHODS: We investigated the longitudinal associations between depression scores and serum levels of these neurotrophic factors during antidepressant treatment in 90 individuals with depression of at least moderate severity. Serum levels were measured at baseline and after 8 and 12 weeks of treatment with nortriptyline or escitalopram. RESULTS: No baseline or longitudinal correlations between depression scores and serum levels of BDNF and VEGF were found, and the baseline serum levels did not predict the MADRS depression score after 12 weeks of treatment or the improvement in depression scores. Interestingly, we observed a significant baseline and longitudinal correlation between serum levels of BDNF and VEGF. The two classes of antidepressant treatment did not affect the results differently. LIMITATIONS: Information on potential factors influencing the serum levels is missing. CONCLUSION: Our results do not support the neurotrophic model of depression, since a significant decrease in serum BDNF and VEGF levels after 12 weeks of antidepressant treatment was observed. Our study encourages future studies with large sample sizes, more observations and a longer follow-up period.
Authors: Bharathi S Gadad; Manish K Jha; Andrew Czysz; Jennifer L Furman; Taryn L Mayes; Michael P Emslie; Madhukar H Trivedi Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2017-07-05 Impact factor: 4.839
Authors: Katrine Svenningsen; Morten T Venø; Kim Henningsen; Anne S Mallien; Line Jensen; Trine Christensen; Jørgen Kjems; Barbara Vollmayr; Ove Wiborg Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-08-05 Impact factor: 3.240