Decreased Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Concentrations during Military Training

Abstract

Decreased concentrations of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serum BDNF have been proposed to be a state marker of depression and a biological indicator of loaded psychosocial stress. Stress evaluations of participants in military mission are critically important and appropriate objective biological parameters that evaluate stress are needed. In military circumstances, there are several problems to adopt plasma BDNF concentration as a stress biomarker. First, in addition to psychosocial stress, military missions inevitably involve physical exercise that increases plasma BDNF concentrations. Second, most participants in the mission do not have adequate quality or quantity of sleep, and sleep deprivation has also been reported to increase plasma BDNF concentration. We evaluated plasma BDNF concentrations in 52 participants on a 9-week military mission. The present study revealed that plasma BDNF concentration significantly decreased despite elevated serum enzymes that escaped from muscle and decreased quantity and quality of sleep, as detected by a wearable watch-type sensor. In addition, we observed a significant decrease in plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) during the mission. VEGF is also neurotrophic and its expression in the brain has been reported to be up-regulated by antidepressive treatments and down-regulated by stress. This is the first report of decreased plasma VEGF concentrations by stress. We conclude that decreased plasma concentrations of neurotrophins can be candidates for mental stress indicators in actual stressful environments that include physical exercise and limited sleep.

Chronic sleep restriction elevates brain interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and attenuates brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression

“…Our findings are consistent with a hypothesis by Giese and colleagues who suggested that chronic impairments in sleep are paralleled by reductions in BDNF levels as evidenced by lower plasma BDNF levels exhibited in individuals with insomnia [22]. Further, a recent study of individuals undergoing military training for 9 weeks exhibited reduced sleep quality and quantity and plasma BDNF levels further supporting the idea that CSR induces attenuations in BDNF [23]. …”

Stress, Sleep and Recovery in Elite Soccer: A Critical Review of the Literature

“…For example, it appears that acute and regular exercise leads to a broad variety of physiological changes such as an increased secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor [50,51] which may have a positive influence on sleep [52]. However, performing exercise in association with loaded psychosocial stress and decreased sleep quantity/quality may lead to decreases in plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor [53]. Future studies on the relationship between evening exercise, level of stress, neurotrophic factors and subsequent sleep are warranted.…”

Grape juice increases the BDNF levels but not alter the S100B levels in hippocampus and frontal cortex from male Wistar Rats

“…It was already demonstrated that Concord grape juice is beneficial to reverse the course of neuronal and behavioral aging in rats (Shukitt-Hale et al 2006), and in humans this juice was capable to improve the memory and cognitive function for older adults with early memory decline (Krikorian et al 2010) and also in older adults with mild memory decline (Krikorian et al 2012). BDNF is a dimer protein that plays an important role in neuroplasticity and neuronal maturation (Poo 2001, Suzuki et al 2014 as well exert an important role in both learning and memory abilities (Binder and Scharfman 2004). It is found throughout the brain, especially in some specific regions like the hippocampus (Binder and Scharfman 2004).…”