AlSaleh Aseel, Ali Hebah Abdalla, Almasri Amani Ali, Omoush Razan Mahmoud, Amawi Adam Tawfiq, Alkharisi Mohammed Ahmed, Pandi-Perumal Seithikurippu R, Trabelsi Khaled, Ghazzawi Hadeel, Jahrami Haitham
Aseel AlSaleh Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain.
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, School of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
Womens Health (Lond). 2025 Jan-Dec;21:17455057251376885. doi: 10.1177/17455057251376885. Epub 2025 Sep 28.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with the development of different psychiatric conditions, including eating disorders (EDs).
To investigate the salivary BDNF's ability to act as a potential biomarker for detecting the risk of developing EDs among young females.
A cross-sectional study was carried out in Amman, Jordan, with a total of 216 nutrition students completing the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) to assess the risk of developing EDs, the Cohens' Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) to measure stress levels, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) to assess physical activity levels. Dietary intake was analyzed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. A nested sample of 34 females from both extreme EDs was selected and tested for salivary BDNF levels.
The nested sample of 34 female nutrition students 22.00 (2.75) years old with body mass index (BMI) of 23.60 (3.35) kg/m were divided into two groups; 18 students were at lower risk, while 16 were at higher risk of developing EDs. The salivary BDNF levels did not differ significantly between the low-risk and high-risk groups (391.03 (128.17), 339.15 (102.52), and = 0.347, respectively). BMI, PSS-10 score, and total metabolic equivalent (MET) were significantly different between the two groups. No associations were found between salivary BDNF levels and BMI, PSS-10 score, MET, or different food groups. The odds ratio for the risk of BDNF-related EDs was 1.07 (95% CI, 1.03-1.10) in the higher-risk group versus the lower-risk group.
BDNF is not a robust biomarker of risk for EDs. The changes in salivary BDNF levels could reflect individual ED eating patterns rather than indicating a direct causative role in the disorder's development. According to our results, psychiatric consultation for ED detection remains the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment.
脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）与包括饮食失调（EDs）在内的不同精神疾病的发展有关。
研究唾液BDNF作为检测年轻女性发生EDs风险的潜在生物标志物的能力。
在约旦安曼进行了一项横断面研究，共有216名营养专业学生完成了饮食态度测试-26（EAT-26）以评估发生EDs的风险，完成科恩感知压力量表-10（PSS-10）以测量压力水平，并完成国际体力活动问卷简表（IPAQ-SF）以评估体力活动水平。使用半定量食物频率问卷分析饮食摄入量。从两个极端EDs组中选取34名女性的嵌套样本，检测其唾液BDNF水平。
34名年龄为22.00（2.75）岁、体重指数（BMI）为23.60（3.35）kg/m²的女性营养专业学生的嵌套样本被分为两组；18名学生发生EDs的风险较低，而16名学生发生EDs的风险较高。低风险组和高风险组的唾液BDNF水平无显著差异（分别为391.03（128.17）、339.15（102.52），P = 0.347）。两组之间的BMI、PSS-10评分和总代谢当量（MET）有显著差异。未发现唾液BDNF水平与BMI、PSS-10评分、MET或不同食物组之间存在关联。高风险组与低风险组相比，BDNF相关EDs风险的优势比为1.07（95%CI，1.03 - 1.10）。
BDNF不是EDs风险的可靠生物标志物。唾液BDNF水平的变化可能反映个体的ED饮食模式，而不是表明其在该疾病发展中具有直接因果作用。根据我们的结果，对于ED检测的精神科咨询仍然是诊断和治疗的金标准。
