Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, learning capacity and cognition in patients with first episode psychosis

BMC Psychiatry

Ana González-Pinto²  Flávio Kapczinski³  Patricia Vega²  Sara Barbeito²  Iris de la Rosa²  Aitor Palomino¹  Fernando Mosquera²  Laura Stertz³  Carlos Matute¹  Sonia Ruiz de Azua² 

[1] CIBERNED. Neuroscience Department and Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, University of the Basque 514 Country, 48940, Vizcaya, Spain;CIBERSAM (Biomedical Research Center in Mental Health Net), University Hospital of Alava, University of the Basque Country, 29 Olaguibel St, 01004, Vitoria, Spain;Bipolar Disorders Program & INCT Translational Medicine, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 2350 Ramiro Barcelos St, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil

关键词: Cognition;    Schizophrenia;    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor;    Psychotic disorder;   

Others  :  1124166
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-244X-13-27

 received in 2012-10-31, accepted in 2013-01-14,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Cognitive impairments are seen in first psychotic episode (FEP) patients. The neurobiological underpinnings that might underlie these changes remain unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate whether Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels are associated with cognitive impairment in FEP patients compared with healthy controls.

Methods

45 FEP patients and 45 healthy controls matched by age, gender and educational level were selected from the Basque Country area of Spain. Plasma BDNF levels were assessed in healthy controls and in patients. A battery of cognitive tests was applied to both groups, with the patients being assessed at 6 months after the acute episode and only in those with a clinical response to treatment.

Results

Plasma BDNF levels were altered in patients compared with the control group. In FEP patients, we observed a positive association between BDNF levels at six months and five cognitive domains (learning ability, immediate and delayed memory, abstract thinking and processing speed) which persisted after controlling for medications prescribed, drug use, intelligence quotient (IQ) and negative symptoms. In the healthy control group, BDNF levels were not associated with cognitive test scores.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that BDNF is associated with the cognitive impairment seen after a FEP. Further investigations of the role of this neurotrophin in the symptoms associated with psychosis onset are warranted.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Ruiz de Azua et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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