Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

State of Art of Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Schizophrenia

“…Most of the studies (12/16) measuring serum BDNF documented lower concentrations of this neurothropin in patients with schizophrenia (Carlino et al, 2011;Chen et al, 2009;Grillo et al, 2007;Ikeda et al, 2008;Jindal et al, 2010;Jockers-Schrübl et al, 2004;Pirildar et al, 2004;Rizos et al, 2008;Tan et al, 2005a;Toyooka et al, 2002;Xiu et al, 2009;Zhang et al, 2008); however, in other studies, BDNF concentrations were either increased (Gama et al, 2007;Reis et al, 2008); or normal (Huang et al, 2006;Shimizu et al, 2003) (Table 1). Five out of the 16 researches investigated gender effects, demonstrating either significantly lower or higher serum BDNF levels in males suffering from schizophrenia (Gama et al, 2007).…”

“…Five out of the 16 researches investigated gender effects, demonstrating either significantly lower or higher serum BDNF levels in males suffering from schizophrenia (Gama et al, 2007). Conversely, no gender effect emerged in Carlino et al, (2011), Huang et al (2006 and Rizos et al (2008) and in all healthy control subjects.…”

“…Most of them (322) did not meet the inclusion criteria, most analyzing val66met BDNF polymorphism, mRNA expression or post-mortem studies. Thus, 17 were finally considered but 16 were actually included in the systematic review (Carlino et al, 2011;Chen et al, 2009;Gama et al, 2007;Grillo et al, 2007;Huang et al, 2006;Ikeda et al, 2008;Jindal et al, 2010;Jockers-Schrübl et al, 2004;Pirildar et al, 2004;Reis et al, 2008;Rizos et al, 2008;Shimizu et al, 2003;Tan et al, 2005a;Toyooka et al, 2002;Zhang et al, 2008). Indeed, as per Authors suggestion, we excluded the study by Zhang et al (2007) (124 patients and 50 controls) since the patients' sample consistently overlapped with that of the study published by Zhang and co-workers in the 2008 (196 patients and 50 controls).…”

“…Drug-naïve schizophrenic patients without cannabis consumption showed similar results to normal controls and cannabis controls without schizophrenia. In relation to the source of recruitment, 6/16 studies included only inpatients Reis et al, 2008;Rizos et al, 2008;Tan et al, 2005a;Xiu et al, 2009;Zhang et al, 2008), 1/16 included only outpatients (Gama et al, 2007), 3/16 considered both in-patients and out-patients (Carlino et al, 2011;Huang et al, 2006;Ikeda et al, 2008) and 6/16 publications did not provide data (Grillo et al, 2007;Jindal et al, 2010;Jockers-Schrübl et al, 2004;Pirildar et al, 2004;Shimizu et al, 2003;Toyooka et al, 2002). In our research, we found that Japanese subjects were investigated in three studies (Ikeda et al, 2008;Shimizu et al, 2003;Toyooka et al, 2002), Caucasians in another four studies (Carlino et al, 2011;JockersSchrübl et al, 2004;Pirildar et al, 2004, Rizos et al, 2008 and Asians in five studies Huang et al, 2006;Tan et al, 2005a, Zhang et al, 2008.…”

“…To assess if BDNF can represent a good biomarker in schizophrenia, a growing number of studies compared BDNF serum levels between patients with schizophrenia and healthy control subjects but unfortunately, with controversial results. Indeed, several investigators found a significant decrease in serum BDNF concentrations (Carlino et al, 2011;Chen et al, 2009;Grillo et al, 2007;Ikeda et al, 2008, Jindal et al, 2010Pirildar et al, 2004;Rizos et al, 2008;Shimizu et al, 2002;Tan et al, 2005aTan et al, , 2005bToyooka et al, 2002;Xiu et al, 2009;Zhang et al, 2007Zhang et al, , 2008; while other studies documented normal (Shimizu et al, 2003;JockersSchrubl et al 2004;Huang et al 2006) or even increased circulating BDNF (Gama et al, 2007;Reis et al, 2008). Because of these discrepancies, we decided to perform a systematic review and a meta-analysis of studies measuring serum concentrations of BDNF to elucidate whether or not this neurotrophin is abnormally produced in patients with schizophrenia.…”