Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin 3 in schizophrenic psychoses

Citation
N. Durany et al., Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin 3 in schizophrenic psychoses, SCHIZOPHR R, 52(1-2), 2001, pp. 79-86
Citations number
55
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,"Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH
ISSN journal
09209964 → ACNP
Volume
52
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
2001
Pages
79 - 86
Database
ISI
SICI code
0920-9964(20011001)52:1-2<79:BNFAN3>2.0.ZU;2-#
Abstract
Disturbed neural development has been postulated as a crucial factor in the pathophysiology of schizophrenic psychoses. The neurobiochemical basis for such changes of cytoarchitecture and changed neural plasticity could invol ve an alteration in the regulation of neurotrophic factors. In order to tes t this hypothesis, BDNF and NT-3 levels in post-mortem brain tissue from sc hizophrenic patients were determined by ELISA. There was a significant incr ease in BDNF concentrations in cortical areas and a significant decrease of this neurotrophin in hippocampus of patients when compared with controls. NT-3 concentrations of frontal and parietal cortical areas were significant ly lower in patients than in controls. These findings lend further evidence to the neurotrophin hypothesis of schizophrenic psychoses which proposes t hat alterations in expression of neurotrophic factors could be responsible for neural maldevelopment and disturbed neural plasticity, thus being an im portant event in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenic psychoses. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.