Hyperthymic affective temperament and hypertension are independent determinants of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level

Abstract

BackgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has neuroprotective, proangiogenic and myogenic effects and, therefore, possibly acts as a psychosomatic mediator. Here, we measured serum BDNF (seBDNF) level in hypertensive patients (HT) and healthy controls (CONT) and its relation to affective temperaments, depression and anxiety scales, and arterial stiffness parameters.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, affective temperaments, anxiety, and depression were studied with questionnaires (TEMPS-A, HAM-A, and BDI, respectively). SeBDNF level and routine laboratory parameters were measured as well. Arterial stiffness was evaluated with a tonometric method.ResultsAllover, 151 HT, and 32 CONT subjects were involved in the study. SeBDNF level was significantly higher in HT compared to CONT (24880 ± 8279 vs 21202.6 ± 6045.5 pg/mL, p < 0.05). In the final model of regression analysis, hyperthymic temperament score (Beta = 405.8, p = 0.004) and the presence of hypertension (Beta = 6121.2, p = 0.001) were independent determinants of seBDNF. In interaction analysis, it was found that in HT, a unit increase in hyperthymic score was associated with a 533.3 (95 %CI 241.3–825.3) pg/mL higher seBDNF. This interaction was missing in CONT.ConclusionsOur results suggest a complex psychosomatic involvement of BDNF in the pathophysiology of hypertension, where hyperthymic affective temperament may have a protective role. BDNF is not likely to have an effect on large arteries.

The role of neurotrophins in psychopathology and cardiovascular diseases: psychosomatic connections

“…In general population, a significant positive correlation was observed between plasma BDNF and diastolic blood pressure, and sexual differences were demonstrated in relation with different serum lipids (Golden et al 2010 ). As it was a cross-sectional study, it is unclear if these associations observed are casual or elevated plasma BDNF represents a compensatory response of the disrupted lipid metabolism and hypertension, but the elevation of serum BDNF in hypertension was confirmed by our study as well (Nemcsik et al 2016 ). Interestingly, in contrast, decreased endothelial BDNF expression was found in hypertension (Prigent-Tessier et al 2013 ), so the source of higher BDNF serum and plasma levels in hypertension is probably not the endothelial cells.…”

“…We previously demonstrated that in chronic hypertensive patients with dominant irritable, anxious, cyclothymic and depressive affective temperaments, serum BDNF level was decreased compared with chronic hypertensive patients without dominant affective temperaments (Laszlo et al 2015 ). In chronic hypertensive patients, hyperthymic temperament score was found to be associated positively with serum BDNF level (Nemcsik et al 2016 ). As hyperthymic temperament score was found to be inversely associated with coronary atherosclerosis (Nemcsik et al 2017 ), it can be proposed that BDNF is a mediator of the protective effect of hyperthymic temperament in CV conditions.…”

The Role of BDNF in the Neuroimmune Axis Regulation of Mood Disorders

“…BDNF, an important member of the neurotrophic factor family, is a protein synthesized in the brain and widely distributed in the central nervous system (CNS), as well as the peripheral nervous system (12). It can promote the survival, growth, differentiation, and development of neurons and plays a crucial role in the neural structure and functional plasticity (13, 14). A large number of human and animal studies have implicated the close links between BDNF and the occurrence and treatment of various diseases, including schizophrenia (15), Alzheimer's disease (16, 17), mood disorders (18), and Parkinson's disease (19).…”

Effect Of Temperament Characteristics On Depression-Anxiety Level And Quality Of Life In Infertile Women

“…The higher frequency of hyperthymic temperament in women with infertility was an interesting finding of this study. In a study investigating the relationships between temperamental characteristics and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in patients with hypertension, high levels of BDNF were detected in patients with hyperthymic temperament, and a protective effect of hyperthymic temperament against hypertension through BDNF was suggested 30 . The central role of BDNF in neuronal growth is known, and it was shown in a meta-analysis that the reduced level of BDNF in major depressive disorder increases with antidepressant therapy 31 .…”