›› 2010, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (6): 651-.

• Monographic report (Depressive disorder) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in pathological mechanism of major depressive disorder episode

LI Ze-zhi, reviewer；HONG Wu, FANG Yi-ru, reviser   

  1. Division of Mood Disorder, Shanghai Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030, China
  • Online:2010-06-25 Published:2010-06-28
  • Supported by:

    National Key Technologies R&D Program of “10th Five-Year Plan”, 2004BA720A21-02；Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China,“863” Program, 2006AA02Z430；Shanghai “Climbing Mountain Action Plan” Program, 064119533；Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau Foundation, 08GWQ075

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Abstract:

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) hypothesis of depression postulates that the decrease of BDNF plays a major role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder, and its restoration may be associated with the efficacy of antidepressant treatment. This theory has been confirmed by increasingly more evidences. BDNF plays a critical role in neurogenesis, neuronal survival, development, differentiation and regeneration, and directly involves in synaptic plasticity and reconstruction, which is probably the important molecular mechanism responsible for the onset and antidepressant action of depression. The research advance on relationship between BDNF and major depressive disorder is reviewed in this paper.

Key words: brain-derived neurotrophic factor, major depressive disorder, pathological mechanism