Petersen Nanna Aagaard, Nielsen Marc Østergaard, Coello Klara, Stanislaus Sharleny, Melbye Sigurd, Kjærstad Hanne Lie, Sletved Kimie Stefanie Ormstrup, McIntyre Roger S, Frikke-Smith Ruth, Vinberg Maj, Kessing Lars Vedel
Copenhagen Affective Disorders Research Centre (CADIC), Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
BJPsych Open. 2021 Feb 16;7(2):e55. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2021.9.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which facilitates neuroplasticity and synaptogenesis, may be decreased in bipolar disorder, but has not been systematically investigated in people with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder and unaffected first-degree relatives.
To compare BDNF levels in patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder, their unaffected first-degree relatives and healthy controls.
The study investigated plasma BDNF levels in patients (n = 371) with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder, their unaffected first-degree relatives (n = 98) and healthy controls (n = 200) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We further investigated associations between BDNF levels and illness-related variables and medication status.
BDNF levels were found to be 22.0% (95% CI 1.107-1.343) higher in patients with bipolar disorder compared with healthy controls (P < 0.001) and 15.6% higher in unaffected first-degree relatives compared with healthy controls (95% CI 1.007-1.327, P = 0.04), when adjusting for age and gender. Further, BDNF levels were positively associated with duration of illness at a trend level (P = 0.05), age (P = 0.001) and use of anti-epileptic medication (P = 0.05).
These findings suggest that BDNF levels are not decreased in the early stages of bipolar disorder and in unaffected first-degree relatives contrasting with prior findings during later stages of the illness.
脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）有助于神经可塑性和突触形成，在双相情感障碍中可能会降低，但尚未在新诊断的双相情感障碍患者及其未受影响的一级亲属中进行系统研究。
比较新诊断的双相情感障碍患者、其未受影响的一级亲属和健康对照者的BDNF水平。
本研究采用酶联免疫吸附测定法，调查了新诊断的双相情感障碍患者（n = 371）、其未受影响的一级亲属（n = 98）和健康对照者（n = 200）的血浆BDNF水平。我们进一步研究了BDNF水平与疾病相关变量和用药状态之间的关联。
在调整年龄和性别后，发现双相情感障碍患者的BDNF水平比健康对照者高22.0%（95%CI 1.107 - 1.343）（P < 0.001），未受影响的一级亲属比健康对照者高15.6%（95%CI 1.007 - 1.327，P = 0.04）。此外，BDNF水平在趋势水平上与病程（P = 0.05）、年龄（P = 0.001）和抗癫痫药物的使用（P = 0.05）呈正相关。
这些发现表明，与疾病后期的先前发现相反，双相情感障碍早期阶段和未受影响的一级亲属的BDNF水平并未降低。
