Suicide and Neurotrophin Factors: A Systematic Review of the Correlation between BDNF and GDNF and Self-Killing

Abstract

According to WHO data, suicide is a public health priority. In particular, suicide is the fourth-leading cause of death in young people. Many risk factors of suicide are described, including individual-, relationship-, community-, and societal-linked ones. The leading factor is the diagnosis of mental illness. Nevertheless, not all people who attempt suicide are psychiatric patients; these characteristics help define high-risk populations. There are currently no useful biomarkers to indicate the risk of suicide. In recent years, neurotrophic factors have increasingly become of scientific interest. This review aims to summarize the current scientific knowledge on the correlation between BDNF and GDNF and suicide, to theorize whether neurotrophins could be a reliable marker for an early diagnosis of suicidal risk. The authors conducted a systematic review following PRISMA criteria. They found eight research papers in agreement with the inclusion criteria. According to the results of these studies, there may be a connection between BDNF brain levels and complete suicide, although there are discrepancies. A lack of interest in GDNF may suggest less involvement in the suicidal dynamic. Further studies may provide helpful information to researchers.

Ketamine and the Disinhibition Hypothesis: Neurotrophic Factor-Mediated Treatment of Depression

“…Postmortem studies of suicide victims also observe possible differences in BDNF expression within brain tissue when compared to healthy controls. A systematic review of eight studies ( n = 684) provides data that BDNF dysregulation could play a role in depression, though more research is needed to provide additional evidence that decreased BDNF levels are consistently seen in a completed suicide [ 107 ]. In addition to studies involving serum BDNF levels, several studies reveal the connection between a BDNF polymorphism, Val66Met, to depression.…”

The Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, and Risk of Depression in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

“…In relation to the numerous consequences of depression, such as poor cooperation with medical personnel, reduced motivation for treatment, non-compliance with dietary guidelines, and even an increased risk of suicide, extensive research has been conducted to search for new depression biomarkers in this population. Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) concentration may be potential biomarker candidates because their increased levels have been detected in non-dialysis patients with a history of attempted suicide [6,7]. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying depressive and anxiety disorders have been shown to involve an altered BDNF signaling pathway in subjects with depression.…”