Journal of Medical Biochemistry (Jan 2016)
Diagnostic accuracy of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nitric oxide in patients with schizophrenia: A pilot study
Abstract
Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nitric oxide (NO) play multiple roles in the developing and adult CNS. Since BDNF and NO metabolisms are dysregulated in schizophrenia, we measured these markers simultaneously in the blood of schizophrenics and assessed their diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with schizophrenia classified according to demographic characteristics, symptomatology and therapy and 39 ageand gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled. BDNF was determined by the ELISA technique while the concentration of nitrite/nitrate (NO2/NO-) was measured by the colorimetric method. Results: Serum BDNF levels were significantly lower (20.38± 3.73 ng/mL, P = 1.339E-05), whilst plasma NOj/NOj concentrations were significantly higher (84.3 (72-121) mmol/L, P=4.357E-08) in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy controls (25.65±4.32 ng/mL; 60.9 (50-76) mmol/L, respectively). The lowest value of BDNF (18.14±3.26 ng/mL) and the highest NO^j/NOconcentration (115.3 (80-138) mmol/L) were found in patients treated with second-generation antipsychotics (SGA). The patients diseased before the age of 24 and the patients suffering for up to one year had significantly lower serum BDNF levels than those diseased after the age of 24 and the patients who were ill longer than one year. Both BDNF and NOj/NOshowed good diagnostic accuracy, but BDNF had better ROC curve characteristics, especially in patients with negative symptomatology. Conclusions: BDNF and nitrite/nitrate showed inverse changes in schizophrenic patients. The most pronounced changes were found in patients treated with second-generation antipsychotics. Although BDNF is not specific of schizophrenia, it may be a clinically useful biomarker for the diagnosis of patients expressing predominantly negative symptoms.
