Abstract:

Objective To explore the characteristics of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in patients with anxiety disorders. Methods One hundred and four patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), 114 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), 37 patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and 63 normal controls were enrolled, and patients in GAD, OCD and SAD groups were divided into two subgroups, respectively (subgroup A: those with no history of antipsychotic drug use or those with drug washout for more than 1 week; subgroup B: those with drug treatment at enrollment). Assessment was performed with Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA)/Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Severity Scale (Y-BOCS)/Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and plasma BDNF levels were detected by ELISA. Eighteen patients with drug treatment were performed a second scale assessment and detection of plasma BDNF levels 10 weeks later. Results ①The plasma BDNF levels in each patient group were significantly lower than that in normal control group (P<0.001), while there was no significant difference among three patient groups（P>0.05）. ②There was no significant difference in plasma BDNF levels between subgroup A and subgroup B of GAD, OCD and SAD groups (P>0.05). ③Age and sex did not significantly influence BDNF plasma levels in each group (P>0.05). Disease severity, state anxiety inventory (SAI) score and disease course were not relative factors with BDNF plasma levels in GAD, OCD and SAD groups (P>0.05). ④The BDNF plasma levels did not change significantly in the 18 patients with drug treatment for 10 weeks (P>0.05). Conclusion Plasma BDNF level may be a useful biomarker for the state of anxiety disorders.

Key words: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, plasma