Electroconvulsive therapy improves clinical manifestations of treatment-resistant depression without changing serum BDNF levels. Issue 2 (30th June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rapinesi, Chiara; Kotzalidis, Georgios D.; Curto, Martina; Serata, Daniele; Ferri, Vittoria R.; Scatena, Paola; Carbonetti, Paolo; Napoletano, Flavia; Miele, Jessica; Scaccianoce, Sergio; Del Casale, Antonio; Nicoletti, Ferdinando; Angeletti, Gloria; Girardi, Paolo
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 227:Issue 2/3(2015)
• Page Start: 171
• Page End: 178
• Publication Date: 2015-06-30
• Subjects: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) -- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), serum levels -- Treatment-resistant depression -- Major depression -- Bipolar depression; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.04.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It may act through intracellular process modulation, but its exact mechanism is still unknown. Animal research supports a neurotrophic effect for ECT. We aimed to investigate the association between changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (sBDNF) levels and clinical improvement following ECT in patients with TRD. Twenty-one patients with TRD (2 men, 19 women; mean age, 63.5 years; S.D., 11.9) were assessed through the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Clinical Global Impressions scale, Severity (CGIs) before and after a complete ECT cycle. At the same time-points, patients underwent blood withdrawal for measuring sBDNF levels. ECT significantly reduced HDRS, BPRS, and CGIS scores, but not sBDNF levels. No significant correlation was found between sBDNF changes, and each of HDRS, BPRS, and CGIs score changes. sBDNF levels in TRD patients were low both at baseline and post-ECT. Our results do not support that improvements in TRD following ECT are mediated through increases in sBDNF levels. Highlights: BDNF promotes neuroplasticity and mediates some effects of antidepressant drugs. ECT is an effective therapy for depressive symptoms. Serum BDNF is more reliable than plasma as a peripheral marker of brain BDNF activity. ECT improved depression but did not affect BDNF at completion of ECT cycle. ECT does not improve depression through peripheral BDNF changes.