Laboratory of Neuroscience (LIM-27), Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovidio Pires de Campos, 785 3rd floor, São Paulo, SP, 05403-010, Brazil.
Neuromolecular Med. 2011 Dec;13(4):217-22. doi: 10.1007/s12017-011-8154-x. Epub 2011 Sep 7.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most widely distributed neurotrophin in the central nervous system where it plays several pivotal roles in synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival. As a consequence, BDNF became a key target in the physiopathology of several neurological and psychiatric diseases. Recent studies have reported altered levels of BDNF in the circulation, i.e. serum or plasma, of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and low BDNF levels in the CSF as predictor of future cognitive decline in healthy older subjects. Altered BDNF circulating levels have also been reported in other neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, hampering its use as a specific biomarker for AD. Therefore, BDNF seems to be an unspecific biomarker of neuropsychiatric disorders marked by neurodegenerative changes.
脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）是中枢神经系统中分布最广泛的神经营养因子，它在突触可塑性和神经元存活中发挥着几个关键作用。因此，BDNF 成为几种神经和精神疾病生理病理学的关键靶点。最近的研究报告称，阿尔茨海默病（AD）患者的循环（即血清或血浆）中 BDNF 水平发生改变，以及健康老年受试者脑脊液中低 BDNF 水平可预测未来认知能力下降。其他神经退行性和精神疾病也报告了 BDNF 循环水平的改变，这使其难以作为 AD 的特异性生物标志物。因此，BDNF 似乎是一种非特异性的神经精神疾病生物标志物，其特征是神经退行性变化。
